Ontario Construction News staff writer
A major development proposal in the Orléans Town Centre is poised to become one of the first significant tests of the City of Ottawa’s recent decision to eliminate minimum parking requirements.
Forum Asset Management and SvN Architects have submitted a zoning bylaw amendment application for a site near the future O-Train East Extension. The project envisions five buildings containing approximately 1,500 residential units, but notably lacks any resident-only vehicular parking.
The proposal, submitted on behalf of Forum by planning firm Novatech, includes 136 visitor parking spaces and 753 bicycle parking spaces.
“The plan envisions a high-density, mixed-use community in close proximity to the Orléans Town Centre that leverages the proximity of the new LRT station to the north to support transit-oriented development and sustainable urban growth,” the application states.
Shifting gears on urban design
The project comes just months after Ottawa City Council passed a comprehensive zoning bylaw in late December that eliminated minimum parking requirements for new builds. The move was intended to encourage transit use, reduce construction costs, and prioritize housing density.
Coun. Jeff Leiper, chair of the planning and housing committee, said the city is now leaving those requirements to the market.
“There’s been a recognition that it should be left up to the market,” Leiper said.
However, the lack of resident parking has drawn criticism from local representatives who worry the area’s current infrastructure cannot yet support a car-free lifestyle.
“It is difficult to square a proposal of roughly 1,500 units with no resident parking,” Orléans South-Navan Coun. Matthew Luloff said in a statement to residents. While Luloff acknowledged the project provides an opportunity for residents to downsize near essential amenities, he encouraged the community to provide feedback on the “zoning bylaw amendment application” which “has not been approved.”
Community infrastructure
Beyond the residential towers, the development includes a proposed three-storey community centre on the northern edge of the site. The facility is intended to be dedicated to the city as public land, satisfying the project’s parkland dedication requirement.
The planning report suggests the centre, paired with the existing Cumberland Seniors Park and Royal 22e Régiment Park, will create a “central social and recreational anchor” for the neighbourhood.
According to the application, the site is designed to be a “compact, pedestrian-oriented built form” that connects directly to local amenities. Proponents argue that the site’s proximity to grocery stores—some within 100 metres—and the future LRT station makes the car-free model viable.
Construction context
The site has a history of transition; it was developed in the mid-1960s with a residential dwelling and a large warehouse, the latter of which was demolished in October 2022.
If approved, the project would represent a massive influx of density for the 10th Line Road area. The application is currently under review by city staff, with public consultations expected to continue throughout the spring.
