Ottawa council delays new green-building standard to wait for province

Ottawa city council voted Wednesday to press pause on implementing new municipal green-building standards.

The new rules had been set to take effect last summer, but were put on hold while the city waited for provincial signoff on its new official plan. After the province approved the plan in November 2022, city staff proposed that the standards come into force July 1, 2023.

Coun. David Hill put forward a motion at council on Wednesday to again push back the start date to allow city staff time to update their recommendation and proposed timeline based on new guidance they expect to come from the province. Coun. George Darouze seconded the motion.

Staff will wait to see how the More Homes for Everyone Act and the More Homes Built Faster Act will shift the policy landscape, in line with Ontario's recent emphasis on growing the province's housing supply.

"It feels like again we are being followers. Worse, it feels like we are falling far beyond other cities," said Coun. Sean Devine.

"Here we are, with a vital opportunity to take action, and we are not taking a pause. We're pumping the brakes."

The City of Ottawa's high performance development standard is based on regulations that have been on the books in Toronto for over a decade. It's intended to help Ottawa reach its climate targets, since the city says roughly 46 per cent of emissions are tied to buildings.

The 15 new metrics will not apply to small builds and infill projects. Builders of large-scale projects who apply for site plan approval will need to answer questions regarding energy efficiency and potentially incorporate more eco-friendly ideas like green roofs and bird-safe glass.

Political pressures

While city staff estimate the measures could increase construction costs by between one and 10 per cent, they said the resulting efficiencies will offset long-term costs and ensure lower energy bills for tenants.

Several councillors expressed frustration with Hill's motion, saying it is a move to appease the concerns of developers and politicians in Toronto.

"Very bluntly, I believe that this motion is a rearguard action against the implementation of green-building standards on which the City of Ottawa is very far behind," said Coun. Jeff Leiper, who also chairs the city's planning and housing committee.

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Coun. Shawn Menard put it more bluntly, saying: "It's a delay tactic."

He urged councillors to vote against the motion, citing staff assurances that the city can harmonize the plan with shifting provincial rules without pushing off implementation.

"It's coming back to committee anyway based on the changes that we're seeing and how it works within that first year," he said.

"This is really cynical, this motion. I'm really disappointed to see it come forward this late without any public consultation."

Several councillors who argued against the motion said the potential improvements to housing affordability and climate change adaptation are too urgently needed to be put off.

'I still want to see this happen,' Mayor says

Don Herweyer, the city's interim general manager of planning, told councillors that a staff member within the Ontario Housing Ministry told Ottawa staff they could move ahead with the new standard.

But Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he was personally asked to delay the implementation by Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark.

"I just want to be clear that I support the high performance development standards," explained Sutcliffe, who backed the motion. "I still want to see this happen."

Hill likewise told council his intent was not to "undermine" these standards.

"It's not a fair statement to say that we are not moving into the direction of having greener building standards. We are," he said. "If we wait a few months we can do this in concert with the province."

The motion passed 14 to 10.

Staff told councillors it will take about two months for them to come back to council with a revised plan, after changes to the Ontario Building Code are made. That will be done by the first quarter of 2024 — whether or not the province has made its final decision.