BMDA Q&A

Good morning! 

When I first joined the Lookout, I made it a personal goal to get out from behind the desk and into as many corners of Ottawa as possible. There’s something you can’t grasp from council agendas or press releases alone — the character of a place, the stories that shape it, and the people who give it life.

After nearly a decade in journalism, I’ve come to appreciate how distinct each neighbourhood really is. Orléans carries a deep and proud francophone heritage. Barrhaven is remarkably diverse — more than 150 languages are spoken at Longfields-Davidson Heights High School alone. Nepean has generations of Italian families who helped build the community. And then there’s Beaverbrook in Kanata — a suburb that quietly rewrote the blueprint for how suburban communities could be designed, with green space woven between homes rather than pushed to the margins.

Now, Beaverbrook may be headed for heritage designation. If you’ve called it home — whether for decades or just a few years — we’d love to hear why you chose it and what makes it special. Send us a note, and we may feature your thoughts or invite you to chat in an upcoming edition.

Speaking of homes, in today’s newsletter, my colleague Sarah MacFarlane-Youngdale connects with Jason Burggraaf, director of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association, to examine whether new construction is keeping pace with Ottawa’s growing population — and what that means for affordability.

A quick reminder: there won’t be a newsletter on Monday for Family Day. We’ll see you back here Wednesday.

Let’s get to it!

— Charlie Senack, Ottawa Lookout managing editor

Have a story idea or editorial questions? Contact our team at [email protected]

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WEATHER

Friday: -17 🌡️ -5 | 🌤️

Saturday: -12 🌡️ -2 | 🌤️

Sunday: -16 🌡️ -5 | ☁️

Monday: -12 🌡️ 2 | ☁️

By Sarah MacFarlane-Youngdale. Read the story online here.

Mayor Mark Stucliffe kicked off 2026 with a promise to address Ottawa’ critical housing shortage by “cutting red tape”, and council followed with the approval of a new zoning bylaw that aims to clear the way for more housing development. There is still plenty of work to be done, local homebuilders say, but these moves are steps in the right direction.

At a mayor’s breakfast with GOHBA held on Jan. 8, 2026, Sutcliffe outlined his plans to get shovels in the ground for new properties by cutting red tape and streamlining administrative processes for project approvals. This will include eliminating some of the studies that are required by developers prior to having a project approved, and addressing a shortage of supply that is contributing to housing affordability.

City council has also just approved a monumental zoning bylaw that claims to clear the way for housing intensification and more efficient homebuilding processes.

The Lookout sat down with Jason Burggraaf, director of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association (GOHBA), to learn more about housing supply, zoning, the role the city plays in promoting home building, and whether the city’s most recent promises will make an impact.

577

That’s how many reports Ottawa Bylaw Services received of alleged dog bites or attacks in 2025. The number is down from 711 reported incidents in 2024 and 845 in 2023. The 577 reported dog bites or attacks in 2025 were the fewest since 2020, when 562 were reported. [CTV]

Ottawa’s Built Heritage Committee has rejected a proposal to tighten the criteria for designating heritage conservation districts, after members raised concerns it would set an “impossible standard” for communities hoping to protect their character. 

Under the current rules, at least 25 per cent of buildings in a proposed district must meet two out of nine provincial heritage criteria for the area to be eligible for designation. 

The motion would have significantly increased the minimum number of buildings in a neighbourhood that must meet provincial heritage criteria to 90 per cent before an area could even be considered for protection. 

Ottawa’s built heritage committee member Brian Bourns  — who previously served on council for 11 years and brought the motion forward — argued many homes that are currently designated in Centretown have “no heritage value.” He noted that a proposed heritage designation in Centretown West would include a beer store, Tim Hortons, and a funeral home parking lot.

The Centretown Community Association called the motion “surreal” and said they’ve spent hundreds of man-hours working on a proposal that will go before the city’s heritage branch in a few weeks. 

Bourns was the only person to support the motion that was voted down 7-1. 

A new stretch of roadwork is set to begin on St. Joseph Boulevard in the Orléans area, potentially disrupting travel for commuters over the coming weeks. 

Starting on Tues, Feb. 17, crews will begin proactive water main repairs between Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard and Orléans Boulevard, with traffic reduced to one lane in each direction while the work is underway.  

There have been many construction headaches for Orléans residents who had to put up with light-rail construction. 

Orléans-East Cumberland Coun. Mathew Luloff said he’s frustrated by the work, noting St. Joseph Boulevard was repaved in 2019. He would like to see the city make a greater effort to pair large infrastructure renewal projects to reduce costs and headaches. 

“I find it disappointing that what is a relatively newly repaved road is going to have to be dug up again, in an area where we've dealt with a lot of construction delays and traffic issues,” Luloff told the Ottawa Lookout. 

The work order was issued after the city's testing revealed weak points in the water system. By doing the work now, Luloff said, it should hopefully prevent a future water main break. 

“Oftentimes, people point to the fact that Ottawa is quite reactionary when it comes to its water infrastructure. People are noticing that there's been quite a few breakdowns lately in that infrastructure,” he added. 

The work is expected to last through the spring. 

The Ontario government has announced an end to its seven-year freeze on tuition at public colleges and universities and unveiled a major funding package for the post-secondary sector. 

Starting this fall, institutions will be allowed to increase tuition modestly — about 2 per cent per year for the next three years — while the province commits about $6.4 billion in new funding over four years to support operating costs and expand capacity in high-demand fields such as skilled trades and technology programs. 

The funding boost is meant to help schools adapt to financial pressures, including revenue losses tied to federal changes to international student permits, and to create roughly 70,000 new seats across the province.

Under the current Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), students can receive up to about 85 per cent of their financial aid as non-repayable grants, with the rest provided as loans. Starting in the 2026-27 academic year, the province plans to flip that ratio, so no more than about 25 per cent of OSAP funding will be grants, and at least 75 per cent will be loans. 

Nepean Liberal MPP Tyler Watt said that while the funding boost is much needed, the changes to OSAP will negatively impact students 

Algonquin College is set to vote later this month on potentially cutting 30 programs, including journalism, law clerk, design foundations, music industry arts, and others. It follows 37 programs being cut last year. 

It’s unclear how the end of the tuition freeze could impact the vote. 

🚆 The O-Train East Extension to Orléans has been delayed until at least spring. It was initially planned to open early this year, but councillors have been informed that there are “several more steps” to take before the extension, which runs from Blair Station to Trim Station. Read more. [CTV]

♻️ There are more changes coming to Ottawa’s waste collection schedule, with about half of households with curbside pickup seeing changes after March 30 when the collection contract with the province comes into effect. Read more. [CBC]

🚏 As federal public servants prepare to return to the office for four days a week, advocates are raising concerns about OC Transpo’s ability to handle the heavier workload of a busier commute and rush hour. Read more ($) [Ottawa Citizen]

🚌 OC Transpo plans to extend the afternoon transfer window from 90 minutes to 105 minutes starting in the spring. Beginning March 2, the new transfer window will be in effect after 3 p.m. until the O-Train West extension to Algonquin College and Moodie Drive opens, staff told the transit committee on Thursday. Read more. [CTV]

🛣️ Reports to the city about potholes tripled in January as many residents say they want more done by city authorities to fill and prevent road hazards. Read more. [CBC]

🚨 Ottawa police are seeking witnesses to a stabbing near Algonquin College on Tuesday. Police say they were called to the 1300 block of Woodroffe Avenue shortly after 5 p.m. after reports that a man had been stabbed. Read more. [CTV]

🚑 City council has approved a spot in Barrhaven for a new paramedic facility at 4061 Strandherd Dr. Council has already approved $4 million for the early stages of the project. Read more. [CityNews]

💼 After Carleton MP Bruce Fanjoy broke Liberal ranks to request the government reconsider its return-to-office mandate, other Ottawa-area MPs have refused to comment. Read more ($) [Ottawa Citizen]

🏢 The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents over 100,000 federal public servants, says its bargaining team is declaring an impasse in contract talks with the federal government and accusing the Treasury Board of Canada of refusing to “bargain in good faith”. Read more. [CTV]

🚔 Ottawa police are asking the public for help in identifying suspects in multiple break-and-enters in Ottawa that have occurred at commercial businesses on Merivale Road since Feb. 3. Read more. [CityNews]

Preview performance of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by the Ottawa Little Theatre | 400 King Edward Ave. | Sunday, February 22, 2026, 2:00-4:30 pm | Supports Zonta Club of Ottawa's education awards for girls and women! | Learn more [Sponsored]

Winterlude | National Capital Region | until Feb. 16 | With its ice sculptures, snow slides, Ferris wheel, live music and many free outdoor winter activities, experience a unique outdoor adventure in Ottawa and Gatineau | Prices vary per event 

Beer + Bingo | Calabogie Brewing Company | Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. | Music Bingo is back just in time to celebrate Galentines Day at the Kanata taproom | Free with registration

Heated Rivalry Night | Bronson Centre Music Theatre | Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. | Step into the world of Heated Rivalry for a dance party inspired by the shows explosive energy, fierce competition, and undeniable chemistry | Tickets  $25+ 

Gatineau Loppet | Gatineau, Que. | Feb. 13-15 | Join Canada’s largest international cross-country skiing event, which welcomes approximately 2,500 skiers from around the world each year as part of the Worldloppet international event series | Register $20+

Big Bang Festival | National Arts Centre | Feb. 14-15 | A shower of music, fun discoveries, and joyful little bits of craziness awaits you. Fun for the whole family | Prices vary per event

Eastern Ontario Craft & Gift Valentine Market | Walter Baker Sports Centre | Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. | Free admission/parking, door prizes, raffle and lots of incredible gift ideas | Free

Westboro Beach Winter Carnival | Selby Plain | Feb. 14 at 12 p.m. | Warm your fingers and toes by the bonfire, roast marshmallows, enjoy some homemade treats and a cup of hot chocolate, or build a snow fort with our ice blocks or a snowperson | Free

Kanata Winterfest | 64 Chimo Dr. | Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. | Join Katimavik-Hazeldean for horse-drawn sleigh rides, hockey on the rink, skating on the “puddle”, curling, sledding and more | Free

Valentine’s Latin Social | 105 Murray St. | Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. | The biggest, highest-energy Latin Social in Ottawa, whether you’re a student, a professional, a couple, or coming solo, this is the place to be | Tickets $10+

Story by Capital Eats food and drink editor Ralf Joneikies.

The pleasure of a bistro menu is that there are a variety of dishes to suit most tastes and sometimes, diets. Mousse Buvette opened in June of 2025 along the pedestrian-friendly strip of Rue Laval in Old Hull. 

There is an uncommon concentration of decent eateries on this street, demanding repeat visits and this bistro is a welcome addition. 

The kitchen is helmed by Stephanie Saumur, who spent years putting out very good dishes at Sans Façon. At Mousse Buvette, she confidently demonstrates her talents with modest and delicious takes on bistro dining.

To read this story and subscribe instantly to our free food and drink newsletter, click here.

Also in chambers on Jan. 28, council unanimously approved the City’s new Zoning Bylaw, the first of its kind since 2006. The bylaw sets the groundwork for how the city is planned, zoned and approved, determining what neighbourhoods look like and what can be built where.

The bylaw is meant to implement policies outlined in the Official Plan and to prioritize housing, aligned with projections for the city’s growth.

It’s been in the works since 2019, when council approved the new Official Plan and directed staff to implement the plan’s policies into a new Zoning Bylaw. 

The bylaw highlights opportunities for a wider range of housing choices, particularly middle housing, and cutting red tape to streamline the housing building process. 

Read more.

“Lowertown at night” by Wataru Ebata features the colours and lights of Ottawa during a winter evening.

Think you can guess today’s Ottawa Wordle? Play it here.

"It's bothersome that Orléans and Cumberland are being covered as an ugly growing city. It was once a beautiful and quiet rural area with many generational family farms. Many families came from Ireland to settle in Navan and Cumberland. The City of Ottawa let developers destroy our home and the likes of Luloff seem to have no issue with destroying us even further by making us miserable prisoners of an area the city devoured. This was once our treasured home, and it is no longer recognizable.”

— reader, on our latest story on some of the challenges facing Orléans.