The Value of Investing in Canadian Downtowns - International ...

Downtown Ottawa
comprises 0.1% of the
City of Ottawa’s total land
area
VISIONARY
Does the downtown have strong leaders who collaborate to achieve a shared vision?
Downtown Ottawa is envisioned as a beautiful and
inspiring focal point for the city, with a rich local
history that is integrated with the City's unique role as
Canada's National Capital. The City also envisions an
increased residential population that will be
accommodated through urbanization projects.
Vision
The current vision for downtown Ottawa is largely
expressed through the downtown Ottawa Urban
Design Strategy 20/20 that dates from 2004. This
study established a broad urban design framework
that aimed to create a lively downtown for residents
and visitors alike. The vision for downtown Ottawa
also focuses on the City’s heritage qualities and the
downtown’s role as a national capital.
Ottawa’s vision for a stronger residential population
emerged in the 1960s-80s when there was an exodus
of residents from the downtown. To respond to this,
the former City of Ottawa developed a new Official
Plan in the late 1980s that outlined strong policies to
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revitalize ‘The Central Area.’ While this plan did not
have any highly specialized or advanced policies to
support downtown growth, it did ‘get people excited
about the downtown.’ This was followed by a strategic
decision in 1994, when the City placed a moratorium
on development charges in Ottawa’s downtown core
under a program known as Re-Do-It (Residential
Downtown Intensification). The program was a
success, attracting 1,100 new residents to the
downtown core. 10 However the absence of
development charges created challenges for the City
to fund upgrades to some of its aging infrastructure.
While the City made use of Section 37 agreements
under the Ontario Planning Act (where municipalities
negotiate development density in exchange for
facilities and services) it still struggled to cover all
associated costs. Given this challenge and the strong
surge in residential development, development
10
Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (No Date). Adaptive
Reuse: Conversion of a commercial building to condominium apartments.
Retrieved from:: http://www.cmhcschl.gc.ca/en/inpr/bude/himu/inbu/upload/The-Laura-Secord-Building.pdf.
Accessed 2012 February 29.