Your priorities in action: Building more housing and stability in a challenging market

As housing pressures grow, the City is responding with practical solutions to build more homes and strengthen stability.

This feature story is part of the “Your priorities in action” series, highlighting real progress the City is making on improving daily life in Ottawa and delivering its Term of Council priorities.

Transcript for the "Your priorities in action: Building more housing and stability in a challenging market" video Housing is one of the biggest challenges facing cities today, and Ottawa is making progress on becoming the most housing-friendly city in Canada. We’re making it easier to build homes our growing city needs by cutting red tape, reducing fees and speeding up approvals. Through our partnership with Build Canada Homes, we’re fast-tracking up to 3,000 new mixed-income homes, helping increase supply for residents. We’re also working to end homelessness by expanding supportive housing and connecting more people with the services they need to build a more stable future. We’ll keep listening, adapting and taking action on the priorities that matter most to you.

As housing pressures grow, the City is responding with practical solutions to build more homes and strengthen stability. Guided by the priorities of this Term of Council and backed by significant investments, Ottawa is making progress toward becoming the most housing-friendly city in Canada. 

Building homes faster

Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. We are working to lower overall housing costs by expanding the supply of affordable, mixed-income and family-sized homes.

Through our partnership with Build Canada Homes, up to 3,000 new affordable and market rental homes will be accelerated – including 2,000 on federal land and 1,100 new non-profit owned units in the City’s pipeline – helping to boost the housing supply and make homes more affordable. 

Cutting red tape

Through the Housing Acceleration Plan, we are cutting red tape, reducing delays, lowering costs and making it easier for housing providers to move projects forward faster. We recently introduced the most housing-friendly Zoning By-law in the City’s history.

The new Zoning By-law was developed in response to feedback we heard from residents and developers. The new Zoning By-law implements the Official Plan and will help improve housing affordability, guide future development responsibly, and thoughtfully manage the significant population growth expected in Ottawa in the years to come.

Features of the new Zoning By-law include:

• Simpler zoning rules based on building size and location, instead of building type
• Straightforward permissions for mid-rise and high-rise development near transit
• Flexible parking rules determined by market demand
• Streamlined rules to gently increase density in existing neighbourhoods
• Fewer restrictions on prefabricated and modular housing
• New permissions to encourage residential development for seniors
• New policies that encourage larger, family-sized units in four-to-six-unit buildings

Improving stability through affordable and supportive housing

We are making progress on our goal of ending homelessness by expanding affordable and supportive housing and connecting more people with the services they need. In 2025, the City completed 79 new affordable and supportive housing units, creating crucial housing options where people can thrive.

Through our refreshed 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan, we are strengthening coordination across housing, health and community services, and working alongside community and Indigenous partners to create more pathways into stable housing. 

An example of this approach in action is John Howard Society’s Lisgar Street facility, a supportive housing building for women experiencing chronic homelessness with a focus on Indigenous women. Lisgar Street highlights how supportive housing can make a difference by combining permanent housing with 24/7 wrap-around supports, including culturally-responsive, gender aware and trauma-informed support, as well as community programming and essential services under one roof. By integrating housing with onsite care, meals, and connection to community, the City and its partners are helping people move out of homelessness and into stability, dignity and long-term well-being.

A steady pathway to long-term housing

The City is also expanding transitional housing for families through projects like O’Connor Street - a centrally located facility that will accommodate approximately 120 families. This initiative builds on the success of Corkstown Road, a 120-unit facility offering temporary accomodations with on-site supports such as youth programming and respite services for children. Early results show that access to these supports helps families move forward and successfully secure stable, long-term homes.

These examples highlight how the City is working to build a community where everyone has access to the housing and supports they need to thrive. We will continue listening to your priorities and taking action to increase housing and stability across Ottawa.

Background: “Your priorities in action” series

Over the past three years, the City of Ottawa has been focused on delivering its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, turning priorities into results that you can see and feel every day.

To support the implementation of the plan, the City launched Your city, your ideas: City of Ottawa Service Reviews in 2023, inviting residents to share ideas on how to improve services and find efficiencies. Since then, the City has received thousands of ideas and is making real progress in improving residents’ day-to-day lives. This series is focused on sharing some of these ideas and initiatives.