Legalize Housing

Exclusionary zoning policies, like R1 zoning, restrict housing supply and are designed to keep renters and working class people out of certain neighbourhoods.

In “R1 zones” — nearly half of the City of Ottawa is zoned this way! — you are only allowed to build single family homes on your property. This is extremely limiting and has historically been used as a weapon to protect wealthy neighbourhoods from renters, racialized communities, and other “undesirable” groups.

At a time of record housing shortages, out of control prices, and relentless urban sprawl, we cannot afford to say no to more housing to “protect neighbourhood character.”

Ending exclusionary zoning would bring more diversity to all our neighbourhoods, dramatically increase the availability of land to build missing middle housing housing, and create opportunities for 15 minute walkable neighbourhoods across the city.

We should legalize multiplexes city wide (4 stories, 4 units) and end R1 zoning.

We should broadly encourage more height and more density in all neighbourhoods — we support the policies in the current draft of the Zoning Implementation Plan presented by city staff.

Our zoning policies should be more simple and permissive, with an explicit goal of fixing our housing shortage, creating 15 minute walkable neighbourhoods, and building missing middle housing.