Foreword

How do you want your city to grow?

To find answers to this question, staff in the Planning, Transit and Environment Department have developed this series of White Papers. Each one puts forward facts and information about an issue that affects land use planning and proposes optional approaches for finding solutions.

The City wants residents to read the papers, discuss them, debate them and tell us what they think.

This process is a new way for the City to educate residents about the important issues and then use the feedback received to guide the review of the Official Plan, the Transportation Master Plan and the Infrastructure Master Plan as part of the Beyond Ottawa 20/20 initiative.

Provincial legislation requires that the City revise their Official Plan within five years of it coming into effect to ensure that it meets the requirements of the Planning Act. The last review was completed in 2003.

The 2008 review is intended to revisit the most important land-use issues and update the policies in each Plan rather than a comprehensive examination of each Plans’ strategic directions and basic principles.

Get involved and have your say

Go to the City’s Web site at ottawa.ca/beyondottawa2020. From there, you can link to Ottawa Talks – the online chat and bulletin board and tell the City and other residents what you think about the White Papers, and sign up to receive e-mails about upcoming public events. Register to attend the City Café on November 24 at Lansdowne Park.

Send your comments by mail or e-mail. Instructions are included at the end of each White Paper.

Get involved and stay involved until the Plans reach City Council for approval in early 2009. It’s your city—have your say!