The push for transit-oriented development

Sponsored by

Good morning!

I never knew it could be so hard to find a cheap place to rent in Ottawa. I have recently been trying to help a friend who has found herself in a bit of a desperate situation, and it feels like there is nothing tangible available.  

I was very fortunate a year ago when I found my spacious two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment for $2,300. Don't get me wrong, it’s way too much to be spending on rent, but compared to other places I looked at, it feels like a steal. 

A recent report says rental prices should soon start dropping in Ottawa, and that will partly be thanks to more competition as the city intensifies. A specific focus is being put on development projects near transit stations so people can have an easier time getting around. 

As someone who does not drive and crosses this city on a regular basis, I cannot tell you how essential that is. Ottawa is incredibly large geographically, and living close to transit makes a world of difference. 

Let’s get to today’s headlines.

— Charlie Senack, Ottawa Lookout managing editor, [email protected], X: @Charlie_Senack

If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign up for free.

WEATHER

Monday: 28 🌡️ 19 | 🌤️

Tuesday: 28 🌡️ 21 | ☀️ 

Wednesday: 33 🌡️ 22 | 🌤️

THE LOOKOUT RECOMMENDS

Arts out of town: If you’re looking for a weekend getaway, then check out two plays over in Prescott, Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Sherlock Holmes and the Vanishing Hour. They’re on now until Aug. 9.

Why not whisky: While not a trip out of town, North of 7 Distillery is a worthwhile stop if you’re looking for a weekend tasting. Operating sinc 2013, our food editor Ralf says they deserve much more attention, especially the 100% Barley Whiskey.

Thirsty for Hungary: In the first edition of new Lookout wine newsletter, Ralf profiled an affordable Hungarian Riesling which as of lats week had 72 bottles remaning in Ottawa. Check it out!

DEVELOPMENT

A look inside Ottawa's desperate push for transit-oriented development

Ottawa is growing fast. In 2019, the city reached a population of one million, and that number is expected to grow to 1.136 million by 2036 and then to 1.4 million by 2046. That means a lot of construction projects need to be built in order to house the city’s new residents. 

With only so much land, developers are now building up. But they are also focusing on areas with lots of transit. Their visions are aligned with provincial policies, which in recent years have doubled down on transit-oriented development. 

“The official plan puts the highest and densest developments near light rail stations, near bus rapid transit stations. And it's all in the interest of trying to help people live in communities where they can use public transit or active transportation to move around,” said Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper, who also chairs the city’s planning committee. 

The city actually began exploring transit-oriented development in the 1980s when the transitway was built. It then seriously started working to build such projects a few decades later in preparation for the eventual opening of the light rail Confederation Line, which would add 12.5 kilometres of rail service from Tunney’s Pasture Station to Blair Road. 

It then set a target density range of approximately 200 to 400 people and jobs per gross hectare within each TOD Plan area.

Leiper said Tunny’s Pasture is the perfect example of development planned around the bus and light rail terminals. For years, plans have been made to develop the current federal office complex site with housing, retail, recreation, and green space. 

Somewhere between 7,000 and 9,000 housing units are planned, with upwards of 1,800 considered affordable. That is almost double the amount of housing planned in the original 2014 draft, but changes were made after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in-person work. The federal government also has plans to cut its office footprint in Ottawa by 50 per cent. 

Other areas that could see significant development are Blair Station in Orleans and Centrepointe, where light rail will soon run through Algonquin College.

“It's a very different approach than the decades of urban sprawl we've seen. We are trying to reverse some of those trends,” said Leiper. 

For decades after the war, cities in North America have developed through sprawl. As their populations have grown, new subdivisions have been built, often on agricultural land, to accommodate that growth in less dense development.

But that has led to some problems. An expanded geographic area means more places need infrastructure investment. Serving suburban communities with transit also becomes costly. We have seen this issue in local communities like Barrhaven, Kanata, and Stittsville, which have long complained about limited bus options and longer commute times. 

Leiper said this can result in more people hopping in their cars instead, creating environmental implications. 

“When transit is insufficient or expensive to provide, people drive. And, you know, in North American cities, driving accounts for about 40 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions that come out,” he said. “So if we can encourage people to drive less by living closer to the amenities that they use, by living closer to public transit that is less expensive to provide because of the population density, we can make a significant dent in our greenhouse gas emissions.”

According to 2016 data, only 37.3 per cent of Ottawa residents commute by modes of transportation that are not a vehicle. The city has the goal of making that 50 per cent by 2031. 

There is also an impact on affordable housing

It's not just the typical rental and condo markets trying to take advantage of Ottawa’s new light rail transit system. Ottawa Community Housing also considers public transit when planning its future builds. 

In September, OCH broke ground on Gladstone Village, a new 336-unit Centretown housing project. It will be located near Little Italy, Chinatown, and the newly reopened Corso Italia LRT Station.

The two buildings will be nine and 19 storeys tall and will include studio to five-bedroom apartments, which can be uncommon in downtown areas. 

Next door, the city is looking to take advantage of a new mixed-use community at 1010 Somerset. It will include a new French school, expansion to the Plant Recreation Centre, housing, and expanded green space. 

Somerset Ward Coun. Ariel Troster recently said at council that it's a rare opportunity to build new development in the heart of the city. 

While desperately needed in a city growing with a surging homelessness crisis, it also has a downside. Leiper said more people living near transit could drive property values up.

“We don't have a lot of tools as a municipality to require affordable housing near transit. There is a regime called inclusionary zoning. Under the former Wynne provincial Liberal government, it proposed giving Ontario municipalities significant power to require a large amount of affordable housing in new developments, particularly near transit. The Ford government has rolled that back so that we don't have the power to require a significant amount of affordable housing, particularly not deeply affordable housing,” said Leiper. 

That concern became real a few years ago when the city council voted to approve a large-scale development project at 900 Albert Street, which is next to the Bayview LRT Station. The original plans called for three towers at 59, 55, and 50 stories tall—higher than the 30-storey permitted under the Bayview Station Secondary Plan. 

But developers Trinity paid the city $975,000 to increase the height of the two taller towers to 65 and 56 stories. The third was lowered to 27-storeys. 

In exchange for the new heights, then Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney asked for reassurance that affordable housing would be included in the development. The Bayview Secondary Plan also stated that 25 per cent would need to be considered affordable. But because of the lack of oversight, there was no legal responsibility. 

Construction work at 900 Albert Street has not started at the time of publication. 

Editor’s note: On Wednesday, the Ottawa Lookout will be publishing a story for Insider members only, taking a look at some of the city's most significant planned transit-oriented developments in neighbourhoods across the city. Want to read it, but you're not a member? Sign up today and get access to all our exclusive Ottawa stories.

SPONSORED BY ENVIROCENTRE

Connecting the Dots on Transit: What we heard

How do we build a transit system that works for everyone?

Earlier this year, EnviroCentre brought together 100+ residents, city staff, planners, and advocates for a one-day symposium on the future of transit in Ottawa. Our newly released report highlights three key takeaways:

1. Transit is essential public infrastructure vital to equity, affordability, climate action, and city-building

2. Small, strategic changes can go far from bike share integration and youth passes to stop redesign

3. There’s real momentum with fresh partnerships, public dialogue, and initiatives already in motion

The symposium served as a launchpad for continued work. EnviroCentre has committed to advancing two key focus areas over the coming year: supporting young people to become confident, lifelong transit users and advancing mobility options in rural communities.

Read the full report for a look at where momentum is building and what it could mean for the future of transit in Ottawa.

THE OTTAWA NUMBER

30,485

The number of Hydro Ottawa customers who lost power during multiple power outages on Sunday afternoon. The cause was due to a loss of power from the provincial grid. [CTV]

THE AGENDA

🚆 Mon dieu, that’s an annoying error. An incorrect translation meant that the French instructions for which direction to take the O-Train to Bluesfest were incorrect at Wellington Street and Booth Street. The signage was removed Thursday evening. [CTV] 

📈 In a worrying sign for the region, the unemployment rate rose from 5.8 per cent in May to 6.2 per cent in June, while Gatineau’s unemployment rate rose slightly from 6.4 per cent to 6.5 per cent. [Ottawa Citizen]

🐴 Ottawa’s new mounted police unit is drawing attention, but for the wrong reasons. Some residents in neighbourhoods where the horses operate say they’re leaving behind, shall we say, some smelly residue. Police are now picking up the manure as the horses conduct their training. [CBC]

💉 After the closure of the Somerset West Community Health Centre’s supervised consumption services by the provincial government, residents are now discovering more and more used needles and drug paraphernalia in the neighbourhoods. [Ottawa Citizen]

👮 Human remains were found at a park in Pembroke on Thursday evening at Riverside Park. Police say there is no indication of foul play. [CTV]

EVENTS

Wood Terrace Series | NAC Terrace | Jul. 15–16 at sunset | Free outdoor concerts every Tue & Wed | Free

Symphonic Waves – Beethoven for Everyone | National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin St | Jul. 17, 7 pm | $20 NAC Orchestra concert, open seating | Tickets $20

ByWard Night Market | ByWard Market neighbourhood, 55 ByWard Market Square | Jul. 17 at 5 pm | Handmade goods, food, vibrant market vibes | Free

Sausage & Patty Fest: Mid-Season Sizzle | T’s All Welcoming Pub, 323 Somerset St E | Jul. 18, 5 pm | Craft sausage BBQ and LGBTQ+ camp vibes | Tickets $20

Thai Street Food Festival 2025 | Horticulture Building, Lansdowne Park, 1525 Princess Patricia Way | Jul. 19, 11 am | Thai food, cultural shows, artisan market | Free

Music and Movies in the Park | Abbott St E, Stittsville | Jul. 18, 5 pm | Live music, food trucks, night market, outdoor film | Free

The Summer Spark Market | Shenkman Arts Centre, 245 Centrum Blvd | Jul. 19, 10 am | 30 vendors, dog-friendly, free parking | Free

Lock & Paddle 2025 – Ottawa | Rideau Canal: Hartwells Locks | Jul. 19, 1 pm | Flash mob paddle event celebrating Parks Day | Free

The Original Navan Market - July 20th, 2025 | 1279 Colonial Rd | Jul. 20, 9:30 am | Market with 130+ local vendors and food trucks | Free

Hintonburg Night Market | 1088 Somerset St. W | Jul. 24, 7 pm | Night market with handmade goods & food | Free

Vegans Who Snack Food and Art Festival | 366 Parkdale Ave | Jul. 25, 1 pm | 60 vendors, music, vegan eats, outdoors | Free

Antique, Vintage & Thrift Market | 1088 Somerset St. W | Jul. 26, 2 pm | Vintage market with food, art & dry bar | Free

Queer Market at Next Door Ottawa | 955A Gladstone Ave | Jul. 26–27, 7 am | LGBTQIA+ artists, vendors, 2-day celebration | Free

Gloucester Market @ St. Gabriel's | 55 Appleford St | Jul. 26, 11 am | Family market with vendors, raffles, BBQ | Free

Dumpling Fest Ottawa | Multiple restaurants, Ottawa K2P 2E3 | Jul. 30, 5:30 pm | Dumpling tasting plates from top restaurants | Tickets $55–$77

Nostalgia Music Festival | LeBreton Flats, Ottawa | Aug. 20–24 | Tribute bands from the 70s–90s, food, bars | Tickets $63

North American Festival of Wales | Sparks Street, Ottawa | Aug. 27–31 | Welshfest street party, concerts, hymn sings | Free

Vegans Who Snack Food and Art Festival | 366 Parkdale Ave | Jul. 25, 1 pm | Vegan food, art, music, 60+ small vendors | Free

NEW JOBS

Discover your new dream job in Ottawa:

• Head, urban programs at Tree Canada

• ​​Public health project officer (mental health unit) at City of Ottawa
  Executive director at Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind

• Senior specialist, strategic partnerships at Canaidan Red Cross

• Director of indigenous content and connections at Canadian Geographic

OTTAWA QUIZ

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• It was a busy weekend for Ottawa’s young track and field athletes. [CTV]

• The Canadian War Museum will soon have a new artifact, the BARV tank, from WW2. [Capital Current]

• Looking for good restaurants in Ottawa? Make sure to subscribe to our free restaurant review newsletter, Capital Eats. 

• Apparently, getting a tattoo at Bluesfest is a popular thing to do. [Ottawa Citizen]

• The restaurant that replaced the old Clocktower pub last year has closed. [Ottawa Citizen]

ON THIS DAY

July 14, 1966: The city starts thinking about how it wants to celebrate Canada’s 10th birthday in 1967.  Ottawa’s ceremonial committee approved a sports hall of fame which would first be set up at the RA Centre before moving to Lansdowne Park, where it would remain as a permanent fixture at the cost of $5,000. 

Other events approved included a mayor's levee for New Year’s Eve, a picnic month, massive corn and wiener roast, carnivals, parties, and more. 

• City council was also debating what it would do with the vacated Union Station, which was slated for demolition the following year. 

July 14, 1979: Five people were hurt after a “bizarre incident” at Carlingwood Mall. 

• “Scores of shoppers watched as a blue Pontiac Parisienne smashed through the glass door entrance way to the shopping centre, striking one woman and punching another against the wall,” reported the Ottawa Journal. “The vehicle then backed up and sped across the Carlingwood parking lot, colliding with three parked cars. 

Ottawa Police later charged 65-year-old Clair Ernest Grant of 1046 Pinecrest Cres. with impaired driving.

Information is from the Ottawa Journal archives on newspapers.com

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Here’s some cool shots from a Reddit user using film.