More and more, families with young children are leaving Ottawa for smaller communities on the city’s edge, drawn by lower housing costs and the chance to buy larger homes with yards, according to a recent report from the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association. Michael Burns is one of them. He, his wife and their two children previously lived in Ottawa before moving west to Almonte and later settling in Kemptville last fall. Burns says the move allowed his family to upgrade from a townhouse to a larger four-bedroom home, with a larger yard at a significantly lower cost. “A house like the one that I have here probably would have cost me hundreds of thousands more,” he said. “There’s also the smaller town charm. It’s not as busy as the city but still has all the amenities like a proper grocery store, hardware store, and all that kind of stuff.” The trend reflects growing pressure in Ottawa’s housing market, where affordability and housing costs are pushing buyers outward, according to the builders’ association. “The big concern is the population loss to surrounding communities outside of Ottawa‘s borders and particularly, the age of the people that we are losing,” says GOHBA executive director Jason Burggraaf, noting the ages range from 12-years-old and under, along with their parents, those in their mid 30s, key demographics which the city relies on. “A majority of people want to have some sort of ground-oriented home even if that’s a townhome, with a little bit of lawn so their kids can run around. If they can’t find that type of housing in Ottawa, even in the suburbs, and one they can afford, they are willing to drive until they qualify and find a similar house that provides them the type of lifestyle that they’re looking for.” He says Ottawa risks losing more families unless it can begin to deliver more of the housing type people are seeking. “The housing acceleration plan and its recommendation are very good, but they have focused kind of on intensification on towers around LRT stations and we need those, but they don’t service that portion of the population that’s leaving us,” said Burggraaf. Nancy Peckford, mayor of North Grenville, says the township continues to grow with demand, expanding infrastructure, including roads and recreational facilities, while planning for long-term, sustainable growth. “This long-term planning is to ensure that people have the quality of life they’re seeking when they come to North Grenville and invest their time and resources to make it their home,” she said. “We have a wonderful reputation for being a warm and welcoming small town with both rural and urban features.” Ottawa is aiming to build 15,100 homes this year. Only about 1,500 have been completed, a pace that will need to quickly accelerate to stay on track for its broader target of 151,000 homes by 2031. The city is promising faster approvals, expanded zoning and more infrastructure to boost supply.
