Ottawa cancels plan to build Sprung structures

No more tents in Ottawa: Residents of Kanata and Nepean have got their wish. On Wednesday the city announced it would not proceed with plans to build two Sprung structures at 1645 Woodroffe Avenue and 40 Hearst Way. 

Background: You might recall the proposal faced huge backlash in the summer when it was announced one of the tent-like facilities could be built at one of two locations in Barrhaven. However, they were eliminated due to future development plans and the geography of the land. 

• Then when the actual sites were released, anger shifted communities with residents saying they felt blindsided due to the lack of public consultation. The city remained adamant they shared information when they were able to, and said the facilities were needed to house a surge of newcomers coming to Canada. 

So what’s changed? The city says the number of newcomers is going down, in part due to changed policies by the federal government. Last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that annual immigration targets between 2025-2027 would be dropped from 500,000 to 395,000, reported the National Post. 

Kale Brown, interim director of Housing and Homelessness Services, told the Lookout that other new space to support housing has also opened up. Those include the Graham Spry Building which was up for sale but the deal fell through, and the YMCA on Argyle Avenue, which is planning to stay in the building for at least another five years. About 80 additional beds can now be added. 

• “The YMCA did have two additional floors that were at one point affected by flood damage, which now is an opportunity to redevelop and use in the longer term,” said Brown. ”It has given a go-ahead to the start looking at what the construction looks like. It's working with contractors, the infrastructure people, determining and giving us a more solid timeline. We do anticipate it can be done relatively quickly. We're hoping to have those components done closer to the end of the year.” 

The city is also looking at doing 20 scattered homes around the city that will offer transitional housing. Between now and spring, 290 new permanent beds will also be added between the St. Joseph Boulevard and Queen Street Transitional Housing Programs.

There were also concerns with timelines: Advocacy group Horizon Ottawa falsely accused a team of Barrhaven politicians — who were opposed to building Sprung structures — as the reason for a change in plans. But that is not true. 

Brown also noted that initially, they were hopeful such facilities could be erected in about six months, such as the Sprung structure connected to the emergency department of the Civic Hospital. But this is a different situation altogether and the newcomer welcome centres would take about 12-15 months to build. 

• “This was a new ground we were blazing. What we were trying to do is actually get a really solid understanding and go through infrastructure expertise to make sure we understood what we were doing,” he said. ”I think the reason it was a bit of a surprise is really the difference in timing related to us not being in a provincially-stated emergency, of which our comparable the Ottawa hospital operated on quite different legislative requirements or regulatory requirements at the time.”

That extended timeline means other options can be looked at instead. 

Nepean community excited by the news 

Members of the Merivale Gardens Community located near the Nepean Sportsplex Site were glad to hear a Sprung structure would not be popping up near their backyard. 

Robert Carberry, a spokesperson for a Merivale community group opposing the structures, said they were pleasantly surprised by the news after losing hope. 

• “We've certainly been doing everything we can to try to demonstrate that this is a fundamentally flawed decision from the outset. There wasn't a proper business plan. There wasn't proper options analysis,” Carberry told the Lookout. “The city was just hell-bent to try to get some federal funding which was going to dry up. That’s why they bypassed a lot of the normal processes that would be used in a development of this kind.”

Carberry said he saw soil testing being done at the Nepean site recently. The city noted in a memo that “pre-development work completed to date will be kept and staff will continue to monitor trends in demand.”

• Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine, who has previously been a huge supporter of a Sprung structure being built in his ward, said in a March 12 statement that he too had “significant concerns over the procurement and financing” of such a facility. 

“I have been raising concerns about the way in which this file has been handled. In my oversight role, I have pushed back on staff and questioned the site selection process, site safety, the project’s procurement, and the project’s financial support,” wrote Devine. “I have repeatedly questioned whether there might be a better way to accommodate the needs of newcomers to our city. And now, it appears the city may agree with me.”

What this means for the Heron Road Community Centre 

In November 2023 it was announced the city was planning to convert the Heron Road Community Centre into a shelter to help the homeless during the winter months, but a year and a half later, it’s still being used. 

• The city previously stressed that if solutions like Sprung Structures were not built, more recreation facilities would need to be taken away from neighbourhoods to house those in need. 

By the numbers: For comparison in June 2023, over 1,000 asylum seekers were taking up space in Ottawa’s shelter system. Today that number is around 820 and continuing to trend downward. 

The Heron Road facility used to house around 230 asylum seekers. Today that number is around 80. Alta Vista Ward Coun. Marty Carr said she expects everyone will be moved out by the spring. 

• “The expectation is unless something changes drastically and we see massive changes where we receive a whole new influx of people, it will only be a few more months,” Carr told the Lookout. “But things can change on a day-to-day basis. We only have to look to the south of us to understand how quickly policy can change. While it’s on track, we don’t have an opening date.”  

What more is needed: Brown agrees that demand can change, but believes the city is out of the woods for now. He added Ottawa’s goal is to ensure that people can quickly transition through the system and access permanent housing quickly. 

• “I think we need the ongoing funding to be able to support those outcomes because again, this is partially a federal responsibility that this city has been supporting and we've really been clear as have staff, that it is our expectation,” said Brown. “They are holding the majority of that funding.”