Committees Advance New Zoning By-law

At a joint meeting on December 17, the City’s Planning and Housing Committee and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommended that Ottawa City Council approve the final draft of Ottawa’s new Zoning By-law, marking a major milestone after nearly five years of public consultation.

If adopted by Council, the new by-law will implement the land-use policies of the City’s Official Plan, approved in 2021, and is intended to prepare Ottawa for significant population growth in the coming decades.

What the New Zoning By-law Does

The proposed by-law is designed to simplify zoning rules and remove barriers to development, aligning municipal regulations with provincial housing and growth policies. City staff describe it as a key tool in addressing Ottawa’s housing shortage and supporting the City’s goal of becoming more “housing-friendly.”

Key changes include:

• Simpler zoning rules based on building size and location rather than housing type (for example, duplex or semi-detached)

• Clear permissions for mid-rise and high-rise buildings near transit corridors

• More flexible parking requirements, allowing market demand to guide parking supply

• Streamlined rules to gently increase density in existing neighbourhoods

• Fewer restrictions on modular and prefabricated housing

• Increased maximum building heights in designated growth areas

• New zoning permissions for seniors’ housing

• Policies encouraging larger, family-sized units in four- to six-unit buildings

City planners say these changes are intended to support more “missing-middle” housing—small apartment buildings of roughly eight to 16 units—which has historically been difficult to build under existing zoning.

Streamlining Development Applications

Committees also approved changes to simplify planning application requirements. Currently, development proposals may require up to 49 separate studies before being deemed complete.

Under the approved changes:

• 13 studies will be eliminated entirely

• 13 additional studies will be simplified or reduced in scope

While some studies may still be requested later in the approval process, the revised approach is intended to provide clearer expectations, reduce upfront costs, and accelerate housing delivery.

The Committees also received an update on efforts to streamline legal agreements related to development, including improved file tracking and closer coordination with the development industry, while maintaining health and safety standards.

What Happens Next

The recommendations from the December 17 committee meeting will be considered by Ottawa City Council on Wednesday, January 28.

The Island Park Community Association will continue to monitor how the new Zoning By-law may affect established neighbourhoods, greenspaces, and local character, and will share updates as Council deliberations proceed.