Ottawa's suburb expansion debate far from over

The battle over Ottawa'surban boundary continues Tuesday morning after 11 hours of public arguments Mondayfor and against expanding the suburbs over the next two decades.

More than 60 of the109 people thatsigned up to speak to city councillorshave yet to weigh in during what is turning into a multi-day public meeting held on Zoom.

That so many people want to weigh in is an indication of the importance of this once-in-a-decade decision.

Whether to expandthe urban boundary an invisible line within the city limits that separates the core and suburbs from Ottawa's rural areas will havelong-lasting ramifications for how the city will grow for years to come.

Heres why Ottawas urban boundary is so important

4 years ago

Duration 1:05

The citys planning department wants to add up to 1,650 hectares of land to the suburbs, expanding the urban boundary to do so. But community groups say that could increase greenhouse gas emissions and create urban sprawl.

City planning staff are recommending council stretch the boundary to swapas much as 1,650 hectares of rural land for suburban landto help absorbthe estimated 181,000 new homes the city will need by 2046.

Under theplan, 23,000 of those would be built in these newly-urbanized areas, whileexisting communities would also see more intensification.

During aspecial joint meeting of the planning and agricultural and rural affairs committees Monday, councillors heard from groups opposingany expansionand developers and landowners who not only want the boundary expanded, but believe it should move out even farther thanrecommended.

'An affordability issue'

The first of the public delegationson Monday was from the Algonquins of Ontario supporting the plan for expansion, sayingthrough modern-day treaty negotiations and other consultations they soon expect to be in control ofthousands of acres ofland in city limits

In a letter to councillors,executive director Janet Stavinga herself a former city councillor said the lands would be an investment in their future and economic development.

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Several landowners and developers, including Claridge Homes vice-president Neil Malhotra, warned the city's recommended plan for expansion will be "challenging" for the city because many families still want to live in a single-detached home with a backyard.

"Ultimately, the market demand is going to drive where the housing is going to go," Malhotra told councillors. "It's simply an affordability issue."

He said thatbuilding family-sized homes in high-riseor even mid-risecondos is simply too expensive for many families, estimating the cost of a 1,000-square-foot, three-bedroom home in a condo at about$600,000 to $700,000.

For that money, he said they'd rather buy an old house in a gentrifying neighbourhood or a more spacious place in the suburbs.

Call for better intensification

Those opposed tourban expansion argued residents need more choices than a house with a white-picket fence or living in a high-rise.

The city's recommendations includemore semi-detached, row- and stacked-houses but not by enough,according to critics.

They called for intensification through six- to nine-storeymid-rise buildingson main streets instead oftowers and argued for better servicessuch as schools, daycares, and parksto attract people to more dense living areas.

"Weacknowledge that saying 'no' to urban expansionmeans saying 'yes' to greater density within the boundary and 'yes' to greater density in Lowertown,"said Liz Bernstein of the Lowertown Community Association.

Walking around Lowertown during the COVID-19 lockdown, she said"it's clear just how much space has been devoted to car infrastructure that could easily be repurposed for housing solutions, let alone office buildings that may be rethought in that post-pandemic world."

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Coun. Jan Harder, who chairs the powerful planning committee, first wanted to continue the meeting next week before it was changed to Tuesday.

At firstno more days had been set aside, despite itbeing known for daysmore than 100 people wanted to make presentations.

The first public delegation set to speak on Tuesday isSheila Perry of the Federation of Community Associations, which is against expansion.

The meeting is set to rununtil 4:45 p.m., after which councillorsmayneed yet another day to ask staff detailed questions before voting.

That final day of debate at this committeeis set for next Wednesday, May 20, a week before the final decision is to be made by full council.