By Claude & Parth on 2026-04-11, City: Ottawa, View Transcript
Ottawa City Council approved a housing partnership with Canada Housing Corporation (Maison Canada) to deliver 3,000 new homes in the city: 2,000 units on federal lands and 1,000 units supported by $150 million in federal funding tied to the city’s housing reserve pipeline. The city’s contribution is up to $250 million in waived development-related fees and property tax exemptions spread over 75 years—described by the Mayor as foregone revenue rather than cash spending: “We are not allocating liquidity. We are simply not going to collect revenues over the course of several decades.” The agreement includes a 99-year affordability commitment and sets out that 1,800 units (60%) will be affordable, including 200 “deeply affordable” units.
Council adopted the agreement positioning Ottawa as an early participant in the federal Canada Homes approach. The Mayor framed the vote as a chance to move quickly on supply and affordability, saying (in French): “Aujourd’hui, nous avons l’opportunité de bâtir 3000 nouvelles maisons à Ottawa. La moitié seront moins ou beaucoup moins que ce que le marché peut fournir.” The Mayor also emphasized the scale of federal involvement: “La valeur réelle de ce que le fédéral contribue, c’est de plus de 1 milliard de dollars.”
Staff and speakers put cost context on the build-out. Strategic Project Director Will McDonald said: “Le coût estimé pour un développement de 2000 maisons, c’est d’à peu près 1,2 milliards de dollars ou 600000 par unité.”
A major part of council’s discussion focused on what counts as “affordable” under the partnership and how that definition connects to incentives like tax exemptions. One speaker stressed that market-provided units should not be counted as affordable under the model: “Il n’y a pas de logements en vertu de ce modèle qui peuvent être fournis par le marché qui seront comptés comme étant une maison abordable ou un logement abordable. C’est un point important à souligner.”
Staff also discussed using an income-based approach—treating housing as affordable when it costs 30% of gross household income—summarized in the meeting as: “Nous demandons donc pour les revenus modérés et que 30 % de leur revenus brut soit considérés comme abordable…”
Council also raised unit mix as an affordability issue, not just rent levels. Councillor Gower argued for more family-sized homes: “On a besoin d’un plus grand nombre de grandes unités… Le taux d’inoccupation… pour les unités… est à 1,7%. Donc, on a besoin d’un plus grand nombre de grandes unités.”
Council considered how the partnership’s accelerated timelines would affect public engagement. The agreement requires projects—particularly on federal lands—to move quickly, and staff described consultation as shorter and more concentrated to match the pace of delivery.
To address process clarity, council adopted a motion from Councillor Johnson (with modifications) requiring the City Manager to report back in Q2 2025 with a public participation strategy aligned with the city’s updated participation principles.
Delegations raised concerns that long-term operating costs and building performance need more attention in the program design. One speaker warned that most costs come after construction: “80 % des coûts d’un bâtiment se fait après la construction,” and argued the proposal should address decarbonization and durability so residents see savings beyond tax measures.
Council also heard questions about who ultimately carries responsibility for long-term viability on federal-land projects. A speaker summarized the accountability point this way: “ultimement c’est une responsabilité du fédéral… [d’]assurer que les maisons sont construites et que l’abordabilité… est obtenue sur cette période pour 99 ans.”
Speakers and staff linked the housing build-out to construction employment and broader economic activity. A CMHC representative described construction’s broader impact as a “multiplier effect,” saying “l’effet multiplicateur c’est trois fois.” Council also heard that the partnership is intended to support near-term project launches and provide predictability for the construction sector.
Motion by Councillor Johnson (Adopted with Modifications):
Requiring the City Manager to report back via memo in Q2 2025 with a public participation strategy aligned with updated public participation principles for partnership projects.
Main Motion (Adopted):
Approving the partnership with Canada Housing Corporation (Maison Canada), including:
- Delegating authority to the Director General of Strategic Initiatives to finalize the agreement
- Directing Planning, Development and Building Services to implement an adapted fast-track process
- Approving exemptions and updates tied to affordability definitions used for incentives
- Authorizing up to $250 million in waived charges/fees and property tax exemptions over 75 years
The transcript did not provide a complete attendance list. Councillors and officials referenced during the meeting included: - Mayor (name not specified in transcript) - Councillor Johnson - Councillor Gower - Strategic Project Director Will McDonald - Representative from Maison Canada (CMHC)