Claridge Homes proposes expanding Ottawa’s urban boundary to build 2,300 new homes

An application from Claridge Homes and Marchurst Developments Group to include two parcels of land in Stittsville as part of the expanded urban boundary. (Stantec Consulting/report)

Claridge Homes wants to expand the urban boundary in Ottawa’s west end by 276 acres for a future development, with approximately 2,391 new homes to support more than 6,800 people.

The City of Ottawa has received an application to amend its Official Plan to expand the urban boundary to include land on Flewellyn Road and Fernbank Road, including the Stittsville West Lands.

According to the application, the proposed expansion, known as the Stittsville West Urban Expansion Area, is located in the Rideau-Jock Ward and is next to the Stittsville ward.

“I do not support this urban boundary expansion,” Coun. Glen Gower said in a post on his website.

“Homes on this land would be an isolated enclave of suburban homes with poor access to transit, no connections to schools, and far from neighbourhood retail. Ottawa’s Official Plan policies are intended to encourage walkable neighbourhoods and discourage endless suburban expansion in order to protect farmland and natural areas.”

Gower said the land was evaluated as part of the 2022 Official Plan, and council “rejected the land for new development.” According to a report by Stantec Consulting, both parcels of land scored low primarily due to the lack of servicing and connectivity caused by the provincially significant wetland complex located or adjacent to the lands.

While the city rejected including the land in the urban boundary in 2022, the 2024 provincial planning statement allows private landowners to request urban boundary expansions to the City of Ottawa outside of a comprehensive review.

Coun. Laine Johnson also said she is opposed to expanding the urban boundary for the Claridge Homes project.

“For residents of College Ward, this could create many problems,” Johnson said.

“First, the city has a legal obligation to ‘service’ any new development. That means taxpayers would be on the hook for roads, water, sewers, etc. And new schools and parks could be expected to be built and maintained too.”

Johnson said the new Transportation Master Plan and Infrastructure Master Plan didn’t anticipate the expansion, and the plan is “bad news for Ottawa and will have a direct, negative impact on College Ward.”

“When we don’t have money to fix our local roads, we shouldn’t be expected to pay for new ones. Second, a new community of that size will create significant pressures on our roads and transit system,” Johnson said.

“We don’t need more congestion of the 417, Baseline, or Hunt Club. And until the Baseline BRT is completed, there’s no way that public transit can handle them, either.”

The proposed expansion is comprised of two parcels of land, immediately west of the current urban boundary, with a combined area of 276 acres, divided by Fernbank Road. The northern parcel is 6435 Fernbank Road, and the southern parcel is known as 6437 Flewellyn Road.

“The applicants propose to develop the subject lands into a vibrant community on full municipal services,” said a report by Stantec Consulting, on behalf of Claridge Homes and Marchurst Developments Group.

The report says a “conceptual development scenario” developed for the plan would consist of “a mix of detached homes, traditional townhouses, back-to-back townhouses, and stacked dwellings.”

According to the plan, the development would include 1,195 single homes, 717 townhouses and 478 stacked townhouses.

“The subject lands are located adjacent to the established and expanding Stittsville community, are well connected by the existing road network, and in proximity to existing infrastructure, public services, active transportation links, parks, and open space,” the report said.

“Expanding the urban area in this location will contribute the critical mass necessary to support efforts towards making Stittsville a 15-minute neighbourhood consisting of a robust transit network, infrastructure upgrades, appropriate housing mix and complementary services.”

City staff will review the application and bring a recommendation to the planning and housing committee at a future date.

The application comes as the Official Plan update shows Ottawa’s population will grow by 530,000 residents between 2024 and 2051, and the number of total households in Ottawa will grow from 433,800 households in 2024 to 691,550 by 2051.

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