Councillor wants Ottawa to explore acquiring Kanata Golf and Country Club

A west-end councillor is proposing the City of Ottawa buy the Kanata Golf and Country Club to prevent a development. CTV’s Dylan Dyson reports.

A Kanata councillor is asking Ottawa City Council to continue its opposition to the redevelopment of the Kanata Golf and Country Club and explore the possible acquisition of the land, as the developer digs “test pits” on the golf club in the city’s west end.

In September, the Supreme Court of Canada cleared the way for 1,500 homes to be built on the Kanata Lakes course. The court ruled it would not hear the city’s application to appeal the Ontario Court of Appeal’s ruling that declared a 1981 agreement to keep 40 per cent of the property as green space as “inoperative.”

On Wednesday, Kanata Coun. Cathy Curry will introduce a motion calling on Council to “affirm, as a matter of policy, that residential or other urban development” on the Kanata Golf and Country Club lands referenced in the 40 per cent agreement would be “inconsistent with the planning framework” that Kanata Lakes was developed.

“It will ensure staff are reminded that the City intends to fully enforce all 192 conditions associated with this development,” Curry said in a post on her website.

“I have also reminded Minto that covenants remain in place on this property, including the requirement that “it shall not alter the grading of the Golf Lands or any of the stormwater management facilities on or serving the Golf Lands.”

The motion also recommends Council direct staff to “rigorously evaluate any application proposing residential or urban development” on Kanata Lakes “against the City’s Official Plan, applicable secondary plans, and supporting planning evidence,” ensure good planning practices are employed and continue defending Council’s decision before the Ontario Land Tribunal and any appellate courts.

Curry also recommends Council direct staff to explore “lawful, voluntary options to secure long-term protection of subject lands as open space, including acquisition, application of conservation easements.”

Curry notes the Ontario Land Tribunal recently confirmed that Council must not “fetter its discretion and that planning approvals, refusals and conditions must be supported by planning evidence, statutory authority, and the public interest.”

The Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition is calling on Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and all councillors to support Curry’s motion.

“To be clear – our longstanding opposition to site development is not a NIMBY-based argument against densification or infill housing,“ the coalition said in a statement.

“Rather, our position is rooted in protecting and ensuring the sustainability of the existing surrounding residential communities of Kanata Lakes and Beaverbrook as well as the Kanata North Tech Park. All rely upon the undeveloped Kanata Golf Club lands as an integral, functional component of the Kizell watershed.”

The coalition says approving the Curry motion will “embolden staff to move simply from resistance to resourcefulness and pursue productive alternatives to protect this unique infrastructure for the benefit of everyone.”

Testing underway

In a statement on her website, Curry said she received an email from Minto’s director of development Thursday night to say testing would take place on the golf course starting Friday morning.

“I also drove over to the golf course just in time to see a bulldozer making its way down the golf course fairways,” Curry said in the post on Friday.

Curry said she was advised by Minto that the work involved “completing snow clearing and layout work in preparation for upcoming monitoring.”

“These monitoring efforts will help inform and guide our detailed engineering work,” Minto told Curry.

According to the post on Curry’s website, the golf course contains contaminated soil and “ongoing testing is required and is something Minto is permitted to carry out.”

The Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition says the 71-hectare site requires full remediation due to “historic, widespread use of mercuric fungicides.”

Ottawa’s Planning Director, Derek Moodie, told Curry that Minto has indicated they are looking to dig a number of “test pits.”

“They also indicated that they will not be removing any trees; they will not be affecting our easements; and that it will not involve large-scale earth works,” Curry said.

“If, as indicated, the works are limited to test pits, it would not affect the restrictive covenants that speak largely to alteration of drainage patterns.”

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Minto said current work at the site is preparatory in nature.

“Current activities are limited to snow clearing in select areas to prepare for soil testing and geotechnical analysis that will begin in February,” the statement said.

“We remain committed to ensuring the project complies with all required approvals and regulations. Our goal is to work with Councillor Curry and City staff as the project moves forward.”

The fight over the future of the Kanata Golf and Country Club dates back to 2018, when the course’s owner, ClubLink, announced plans to build approximately 1,500 homes on the Kanata Lakes property.

ClubLink and its developers, Minto Communities and Richcraft Homes, filed an application with the city in 2019 to build homes with a minimum 25 per cent green space.

The City of Ottawa and residents have pointed to the 1981 agreement between the former City of Kanata and Campeau Corporation that states 40 per cent of the area must be kept as open space.