The debate over building up in Old Ottawa East

Ottawa’s Main Street is lined with bustling shops, public green space, and even a weekly summer farmers market at Grande Allée Park. Located along the Rideau River near the Glebe, the desire for people to move there is growing. 

The area has already been undergoing recent change and development as Ottawa builds for the future. By 2046, it is expected that over 1.4 million people will call the Capital home. That will require Ottawa to build more housing, setting a target of constructing 151,000 quality market dwellings by 2031 — averaging out to 15,100 new homes a year. Statistics last fall showed the city was falling short of its targets, and no updated statistics were available for 2025. 

To meet demand and fall in line with updated provincial regulations, revisions are being made to Secondary Plans, which are detailed land-use roadmaps that guide development and redevelopment in specific areas of a municipality, supplementing the broader policies of the official plan. They essentially give more focused guidance on issues like land use, transportation, and urban design within a particular area. 

Some of the bigger updates have been made to the Old Ottawa East Secondary Plan, which some residents think go too far and will impact the liveability of their Main Street Community. 

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