Committee backs active transportation bridge for Preston Street extension

The Planning and Housing Committee today approved amending the City’s Official Plan (OP), modifying the planned future extension of Preston Street to the north. Instead of extending Preston Street as an arterial roadway, the City would build an active transportation bridge, linking neighbourhoods south of O-Train Line 1 with planned neighbourhoods to the north, in Lebreton Flats.

The future extension falls within the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) master concept plan for LeBreton Flats, and the NCC’s plans for development west of Booth Street. If Council agrees, this decision could support the development of about 4,500 new homes, 80,000 square metres of non-residential space and a new major events centre at the intersection of Preston and Albert streets.

The proposed active transportation bridge supports the City's vision for growth as outlined in the OP, and the vision for LeBreton Flats as a neighbourhood that prioritizes walking, cycling and transit. The results of a traffic impact assessment also show that extending Preston Street as an arterial roadway could worsen traffic conditions on Preston, Rochester and Booth streets. 

A draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NCC and the City will ensure OC Transpo and STO (Société de transport de l'Outaouais) buses can access NCC-owned roads and that the proposed infrastructure would provide for the same level of connectivity as the original planned extension. The MOU would also ensure event-day bus service is appropriate for the major event centre. A second planned MOU between the City, NCC and Capital Sports Development would focus on clarifying construction timelines, coordinating with other City infrastructure projects and mitigating traffic impacts.

The Committee approved OP and zoning amendments to facilitate the development of three high-rise buildings beside Corso Italia Station. The Committee had previously approved zoning for the development in 2022, and the current amendments would increase permitted heights for all three buildings from 30, 33 and 35 storeys to 34, 38 and 40 storeys. The revised design would include 930 residential units, which is about 80 more than the original design had proposed.

The tallest building would face Gladstone and would include retail and office space in addition to residential units. An existing four-storey heritage building on the site, known as the Standard Bread Building, would be integrated with this 40-storey building. The other two buildings would be residential, with heights decreasing as the development moves north, away from the O-train station. Two privately owned park spaces are also proposed – one allowing east-west access through the site and one providing space between the heritage building and the O-Train station. 

A height increase is the only significant change proposed. The OP amendment would change the relevant Secondary Plan to increase permitted heights accordingly. The Zoning By-law Amendment would also increase permitted heights while also increasing the low-rise podium heights from 15 to 16.5 metres.

To help address the housing crisis, City Council committed to providing home builders enough opportunities to build 151,000 quality market homes by 2031. The City tracks the progress of residential development in Ottawa and shares that data through an interactive housing approvals dashboard.

Tracking began in January 2023, and between that time and the end of Q2 2025, Council has provided approvals for more than 60,000 new homes. In Q3 and Q4 of 2025, it is estimated this committee provided approvals for another 8,650 new homes, brings the overall total of dwellings approved since tracking began to more than 68,650. That has put applicants in a position to build roughly 45 per cent of the homes required to meet that 2031 goal. If Council approves the land-use permissions that the Committee recommended today, applicants will be able to build another 80 new dwellings.

City Council will consider the recommendations from today’s meeting on Wednesday, February 11.