Council approves advancing new paramedic facility

Council today approved initiating a public‑private partnership (P3) procurement process to build a new Ottawa Paramedic Service West Deployment Facility to support growth and meet evolving service demands.

The current headquarters was built in 2005 for a much smaller service and is now over capacity. Since then, population growth, an expanded scope of practice, and changes to service delivery have increased pressure on staff, equipment and training needs. The existing site no longer provides enough climate‑controlled storage, logistics space or dedicated training areas, creating challenges and limiting the service’s ability to meet future needs.

A second major facility in the west end would provide more space for staff, vehicles and equipment and improve response times in the west and south of Ottawa. It would also strengthen the service’s deployment model, helping paramedics reach residents more quickly and efficiently.

Following a detailed analysis, the Design, Build, Finance, Maintain procurement model was identified as the preferred delivery approach. This model spreads project costs over 30 years and allows the City to access additional provincial funding through the Land Ambulance Services Grant Agreement. The recommended site, at 4061 Strandherd Drive, meets operational, infrastructure and long‑term growth requirements. Staff will return to Council at key project milestones to seek approval of the procurement strategy, preferred partner and final agreements.

Council approves pilot for more affordable homes

Council approved a new Affordable Housing Debt Funding Pilot to help Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) advance construction‑ready affordable housing projects more quickly.

The pilot uses the City’s strong credit rating and existing borrowing tools to issue debt on OCHC’s behalf at lower interest rates than OCHC could secure on its own. This modern financing allows the City to stretch its housing dollars further without increasing property taxes or creating new budget pressures.

The City will provide up to $2 million per year for up to 10 years from the existing affordable housing budget to help cover early‑stage debt payments until projects become self‑sustaining. This approach will help deliver approximately 550 new affordable homes across three OCHC projects: Mosaiq Phase 2, Beausoleil and Geyser Place. All three projects are ready to build but face funding gaps due to rising construction costs and interest rates.

The pilot is budget‑neutral and strengthens the City’s ability to align its contributions with provincial and federal funding programs, including Build Canada Homes and the CMHC Affordable Housing Fund.  

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