Joint Finance and Corporate Services and Planning and Housing Committee

WHEREAS Community Benefit Charges (CBCs) are a relatively new mechanism, having been introduced in 2022 to replace former Section 37 density bonusing provisions of the Planning Act ; and WHEREAS the intention of leveraging CBCs was to ensure that sufficient public value was captured when 10 or more residential units were created at a height of 5 or more storeys, thereby improving social permissibility of increased density; and WHEREAS in Ottawa, CBCs are charged at 4% of the value of the land; and WHEREAS the Housing Innovation Task Force recommended a five-year suspension of Community Benefits Charges, as outlined in Document 1 of the Housing Task Force and Housing Acceleration Plan Report ACS2025-SI-SPO-0002; and WHEREAS Community Benefits Charges pay for improvements in neighbourhoods such as community facilities, traffic calming, public realm enhancements and more; and WHEREAS many older neighbourhoods in Ottawa do not have up-to-date amenities that are common in newer communities; and WHEREAS increased housing and population density will put pressure on amenities in existing communities; and WHEREAS increasing populations will require improving, updating, and building new amenities to support those communities; and WHEREAS if Community Benefits Charges are not available, other City funds will be required to implement community improvements. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, Action 21 be amended to read as follows: Reduce Community Benefit Charges (CBCs) from 4% to 2% of the

WHEREAS Canada is in a housing crisis that is largely linked to a lack of supply relative to demand; and WHEREAS the Housing Innovation Task Force identified costs imposed by the municipality as a major barrier to housing development; and WHEREAS development charges are a major component of those costs; and WHEREAS development charges are particularly prohibitive on developing certain typologies of housing, such as rooming houses, where development charges are levied on a per-room basis; and WHEREAS cutting development charges would spur housing development, but without commensurate matching funds from higher orders of government, may lead to a significant infrastructure deficit; and WHEREAS the City of Ottawa’s development charges and other fees on development are generally lower than those of many other peer municipalities, including those who have recently lowered their development charges; and WHEREAS the federal government has committed to reducing development charges while making municipalities whole in the process; and WHEREAS on June 26, the Region of Peel cut development charges due to commitments from Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack to leverage the Building Ontario Fund to offset revenues

WHEREAS multiple recommended action items, including action items 29, 38, 42 and others, in Report ACS2025-SI-SPO-0002 authorize staff to commence planning, preparation and other work in connection with readying municipal and other properties for the construction of housing; and WHEREAS the action items do not refer to specific properties that would be the subject of these actions; and WHEREAS it is in the public interest to ensure that there is transparency that the City is planning for and preparing sites for residential development. THEREFORE BE IT RESOVLED that the local ward councillor be made fully aware and consulted when properties that are the subject of actions, such as those contemplated in action 29, 38, 42 and similar preparatory actions contained in the Housing Acceleration Plan are undertaken.

WHEREAS the development industry has requested a five-year suspension of Community Benefits Charges; and WHEREAS the Housing Innovation Task Force Report and Housing Acceleration Plan (ACS2025-SI-SPO-0002) has recommended Council suspend the use of the Community Benefits Charge By-Law for 5 years direct staff to return funds collected to date and these policies come into effect immediately upon adoption by Council; and WHEREAS the Housing Innovation Task Force Report and Housing Acceleration Plan (ACS2025-SI-SPO-0002) recommends Council direct staff defer the Building Code fee increases specific to Residential Occupancies, to be included in the 2026 Draft Operating Budget; and WHEREAS the Housing Innovation Task Force Report and Housing Acceleration Plan (ACS2025-SI-SPO-0002) recommends that staff be directed to report back on progress by May 2026; and WHEREAS staff have been working with Bloomberg Associates and a sub-group of the Task Force to explore what makes a housing project financially viable through the creation of an Ottawa-specific model that will allow for testing scenarios, based on housing typology THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff provide information on the Bloomberg methodology to Council by end of Q4 2025, with more fulsome reporting on the effectiveness of the financial measures in May 2026 at the time of reporting back to Council on implementation and that staff provide the full results and measurement framework for the Housing Acceleration Plan concurren

Moved on behalf of Councillor M. Carr. WHEREAS Ottawa is in a housing affordability crisis; and WHEREAS one of the core objectives of the Housing Acceleration Plan is to consolidate and strengthen capacity for affordable (including supportive) housing development, including through the strategic use of public lands; and WHERAS another objective seeks to unlock urban intensification and transit-oriented development; and WHEREAS the City has previously assessed its inventory of public lands to determine which lands are the ideal candidates for this kind of development; and WHEREAS by focusing on a shorter list of sites with short- and medium-term potential, design and site preparation can be advanced more quickly; and WHEREAS accelerating the development of public lands is extremely beneficial to the affordable housing sector and well within the municipal remit; and WHEREAS acting quickly may position Ottawa to benefit from early rounds of project funding from the federal government’s Build Canada Homes agency. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, as part of the implementation of Action Item 29 of the Housing Acceleration Plan, staff be directed to expedite the work to identify additional municipally-owned parcels in the next phase of the Municipal Land Strategy, in consultation with the Mayor’s Office, that are suitable for affordable housing development, including supportive housing, or for mixed-use, mixed-income developments that include affordable housing; and BE IT FURTHER RESO

WHEREAS if Ottawa is to become a more housing-friendly City, the City government must play a stronger role in catalyzing affordable housing development; and WHEREAS key objective 4 of the Housing Acceleration Plan seeks to “consolidate and strengthen capacity for Affordable Housing development;” and WHEREAS a Council strategic priority is “a city that has affordable housing and is more liveable for all;” and WHEREAS the matters contemplated through the Housing Innovation Task Force Report and Housing Acceleration Plan will significantly strengthen Ottawa’s approach to enabling affordability, attainability, and accessibility in the housing sector; and WHEREAS more can be done to ensure that affordable housing development is properly prioritized. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, as part of Housing Acceleration Plan action Item 37, in Document 2 of the Report, staff be directed to review the City's Official Plan and related policies to ensure there are no unintended barriers to affordable housing; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, if unintended barriers are identified, staff return to Council with suggested amendments to strengthen the availability of affordable housing. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the appropriate City housing dashboards be updated to provide readily available information pertaining to the affordable housing sector, considering inclusion of data sets such as: The stock of affordable units, including a breakdown based on the number of bedrooms associated with those

WHEREAS the recommendations of the Housing Innovation Task Force, the Housing Acceleration Plan, and ongoing initiatives of the City of Ottawa (including the new Zoning By-law) when combined represent Ottawa’s Housing Action Plan; and WHEREAS this plan may well be the most ambitious housing plan ever advanced by a Canadian municipality; and WHEREAS residents deserve to be fully informed about the full spectrum of effort being undertaken by this term of Council to address the housing crisis; and WHEREAS Ottawa’s professional City staff do their utmost to make sure new homes are safe, that they fit within their communities, and that any development prioritizes the public over developers; and WHEREAS notwithstanding the dedication and professionalism of Ottawa City staff, the staff report responding to the Housing Innovation Task Force recommendations establishes that a change in culture is necessary to address the housing crisis; and WHEREAS Ottawa is counting on City staff’s skills and experience to help address the housing crisis; and WHEREAS City staff would benefit from the clear support and encouragement of Council as they undertake a cultural change respecting housing; and WHEREAS the City Manager has assigned the accountability to the General Manager of Planning, Development and Building Services, as the executive sponsor, responsible for advancing this goal. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Ottawa City Council officially declare its intention to become a more housing-frien

WHEREAS Objective 5 of the Housing Acceleration Plan seeks to “Unlock Urban Intensification and Transit Oriented Development,” particularly through “rebalancing uses in downtown, particularly the central business district, by enabling more residential;” and WHEREAS Action 40 of the Plan directs staff to “Recommend regulatory changes and financial incentives to support downtown revitalization, including through more residential developments downtown and in the Central Business District (CBD);” and WHEREAS a report titled “A Living Capital: Investing in Downtown Ottawa for a Dynamic Future” created by the Canadian Urban Institute and presented by the Ottawa Board of Trade, sets out clear actions to improve the downtown, stressing that “Ottawa is not viable without a culturally dynamic, safe and economically vibrant downtown;” and WHEREAS the ByWard Market has experienced significant positive changes in recent years, though significantly more work is yet to be done to fully revitalize the Market ahead of its 200th anniversary; and WHEREAS direction from Council may help staff consider a range of ideas to help drive improved urban intensification and revitalization. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that as part of the City’s Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan, staff develop a comprehensive downtown revitalization toolkit to enable a vibrant downtown economy; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this toolkit explore and consider the following actions: That the office-to-residential

WHEREAS the cost of rental housing in Ottawa has increased by 27.3% since 2019; and WHEREAS over that same period, house prices have increased by roughly 50%; and WHEREAS in the case of seniors, income and availability of housing can combine to limit seniors’ ability downsize or otherwise move to housing that can more appropriate match their needs and lifestyles; and WHEREAS in addition to not meeting the needs of seniors, this lack of housing mobility contributes to inefficient supply allocation, reduced economic activity, and an unbalanced market; and WHEREAS the population of Ontarians who are 80 years of age or older is expected to double in Ontario over the next 15 years; and WHEREAS Ottawa is expected to grow at a faster rate than most of the rest of the province, including with respect to its population of seniors; and WHEREAS this segment of the population often requires more accessibility features than standard housing units provide and this needs to be taken into consideration when building; and WHEREAS the City’s Official Plan identifies housing needs, including retirement homes and long-term care facilities and the final draft of the new Zoning By-law recommends intensification in urban centers and transit hubs, to allow for greater height and unit count; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, the City continue to focus on seniors as a priority group in the updated 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan 2025-2035; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff be directed to work w