Planning and Housing Committee

Mandate

The Planning and Housing Committee is responsible for overseeing all development and planning within the urban boundary in accordance with the City’s Official Plan including zoning designations, community planning and site design requirements. The Committee is also responsible for the City’s housing strategy, including affordable and transit-oriented development, community housing capital planning, and other related housing policy initiatives.

Membership

Membership of the Planning and Housing Committee shall consist of Members of Council, as appointed by Council.  The Mayor and the Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee are ex-officio members.

General responsibilities

The Planning and Housing Committee shall:

1. Be responsible directly to Council for those items emanating from:
   1. Applicable services and branches within the Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department;
   2. Applicable services and branches within the Community and Social Services Department, specifically Housing Services programs, policies and initiatives related to the development and/or redevelopment of affordable housing, supportive housing and other transitional and emergency housing facilities;
   3. Applicable services and branches within the Infrastructure and Water Services Department; and 
   4. Any Advisory Committees or Sub-committees where the subject of the report falls within the area of responsibility of the Planning and Housing Committee;
   5. The two urban panels of the Committee of Adjustment; and
   6. Local boards, agencies and corporations that are created by or report to, this Committee.
2. Ensure co-ordination and consultation with other Standing Committees and departments where responsibilities overlap on matters and issues relevant to the mandate of more than one committee, including, where applicable:
   1. Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee on issues having an effect on the City’s rural residents and businesses, or relating to items of interest for the agricultural and associated industries;
   2. Community Services Committee on issues related to the administration and funding of existing social housing programs, emergency shelters, supportive housing and homelessness programs;
   3. Built Heritage Committee on matters related to the Official Plan and other City planning policy that impacts the city's built heritage, and the implications of changes to the Planning Act or other provincial planning policies on the City's built heritage program.
3. Ensure that the meeting Agendas are provided to Members and the public ten calendar days in advance of the Planning and Housing Committee meeting (except where an observed holiday necessitates release earlier than ten calendar days).
4. Have the authority to hear briefings on litigious matters of a planning and development nature and to give direction to the City Solicitor on such matters where it is consistent with current Council direction or policy.
5. Consider, for recommendation to Council, operating and capital budget amendments pertaining to items within the Committee mandate, subject to the budgetary powers and duties assigned to the head of Council under the Municipal Act, 2001 and associated regulations and any Council-approved budget process.  
6. Receive reports from staff regarding the exercise of delegated authority on items within the Committee’s mandate.
7. Receive public delegations on matters affecting general land use planning in the City of Ottawa and hold public hearings, as required by the Planning Act, the Municipal Act, 2001 and, where applicable, the Ontario Heritage Act.
8. Review and recommend to Council revisions to the Planning and Housing Committee Terms of Reference, as required.
9. Address all matters related to, and arising from, Advisory Committees or Sub-Committees under the Standing Committee’s responsibility and that are in line with the established Committee and Council Strategic Plans.
10. Exercise the delegated authority from Council to decide matters that are consistent with the application of federal and/or provincial statutes and/or regulations for matters under the Committee’s mandate.
11. Recommend to Council, the City of Ottawa’s participation in federal or provincial cost-sharing programs for matters within the mandate of the Committee.
12. Monitor federal and provincial legislation with a distinct impact on planning and housing matters.
13. Recommend to Council proposed by-laws that are under the Committee’s jurisdiction.
14. Subject to with the Delegation of Authority By-law and any other Council-approved policies, approve Councillors’ travel and attendance at conferences that are related to the Committee’s mandate.

Specific responsibilities

The Planning and Housing Committee shall:

Planning

1. Provide direction to staff for the implementation of the planning and development goals and policies as outlined in the City’s Official Plan.
2. Make recommendations to Council with respect to all Official Plan matters.
3. Ensure the proper investigation and survey of the physical, social, economic and environmental conditions in relation to the development and redevelopment of land within the urban boundary.
4. Consult with applicable local boards having jurisdiction within the City of Ottawa and whose mandates deal with items pertaining to this Committee.
5. Make recommendations to Council on items related to the delegation by the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs, as set out in the Planning Act, for those matters not delegated to staff.
6. Review and make recommendations to Council concerning other planning matters of the City, including neighbourhood area studies, special studies, aerial photography and mapping, development control matters and planning policy matters.
7. Make recommendations to Council on appointments to the urban panels of the Committee of Adjustment.
8. When applicable, and/or where delegation of authority has been lifted, review and consider reports on the following matters that are consistent with an adopted Council policy and fall within the mandate of the Committee: 
   1. Subdivision and condominium applications; 
   2. Extensions of draft plan approvals;
   3. Approval of Zoning By-laws; 
   4. Land severance applications and minor variances granted by the two urban panels of the Committee of Adjustment;
   5. Official Plan amendments;
   6. Street openings and closings;
   7. Street name changes;
   8. Municipal addressing;
   9. Administration and enforcement of the Ontario Building Code;
   10. Lifting of 30 cm reserves;
   11. Lifting of Holding Provisions;
   12. Signs By-laws, Variances and Amendments; and
   13. Cash-in-lieu of Parking agreements. 
9. Review and make recommendations to Council on the planning, design and implementation of infrastructure for developing communities, specifically Environmental Assessments that relate to infrastructure required for future subdivision growth.

Development charges, community benefits charges and front-ending agreements

10. Review and make recommendations to Council on all front-ending agreements pertaining to items within the mandate of this Committee, including transportation matters.
11. Review and make recommendations to Council on all issues pertaining to the Development Charges Act.
12. Review and make recommendations to Council on the general enactment of the Development Charges By-law.
13. Review and consider recommendations from the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee with respect to the Development Charges Act and on the general enactment of the Development Charges By-law as they relate to the rural area.
14. Review and make recommendations to Council on all issues pertaining to Community benefits charges as per the Planning Act.
15. Review and make recommendations to Council on the general enactment of the Community Benefits Charge By-law.

Housing 

16. Make recommendations to Council on housing policies in accordance with the City’s Official Plan, the 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Plan and related strategies, including those related to: 
    1. housing requirements and targets for the City of Ottawa including those related to affordability and inclusionary zoning;
    2. federal and provincial housing- related policy initiatives; 
    3. capital asset management as it relates to maintenance of the City’s community housing providers under the provincial Housing Services Act or under agreement with the City; and
    4. reports outlining the periodic review and evaluation of the housing situation in the City; and the implementation of the City of Ottawa Affordable Housing Strategy and all related housing policy initiatives.
17. Make recommendations to Council on how to adequately and affordably increase the supply of housing for Ottawa residents, and provide options for increasing the supply of affordable housing.
18. Make recommendations to Council on capital funding of affordable housing programs and the Long-Range Financial Plan for Housing.
19. Make recommendations to Council on all issues related to any capital funding opportunities from other levels of government or other sources, supporting projects along the spectrum of housing-related needs from new construction, to renovations of affordable, supportive and transitional housing.
20. Regular reporting on the number of housing units approved and the number of housing building permits issued by the City of Ottawa.

(Note that Community Services Committee is responsible for housing policies related to the ongoing administration and funding of existing social housing programs, emergency shelters, supportive housing and homelessness programs exclusive of decisions related to new development or redevelopment of new affordable, supportive and transitional housing).

Ottawa Community Lands Development Corporation 

21. Consider reports pertaining to the Ottawa Community Lands Development Corporation (OCLDC), including making recommendations for Council to consider in its role as shareholder. 

Heritage

22. Make recommendations to Council on heritage protection within the urban boundary through applications and proposals brought forward by the Built Heritage Committee for designation under the Ontario Heritage Act as well as other heritage applications, where there is an associated Planning Act application. 

(Note that the Built Heritage Committee has the authority to recommend heritage matters directly to Council, without consideration by the Planning and Housing Committee or Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee where there is no associated Planning Act application, in accordance with that Committee’s Terms of Reference. 

Approved by City Council on March 8, 2023

Meeting agendas, minutes and videos for City Council, its committees and select local boards can be accessed through the City’s agendas and minutes web portal. 

See using the City’s Agendas and minutes web portal for more information.

The following is available through the portal:

• Meeting schedules
• Agendas
• Minutes
• Meeting documentation
• Live streams
• Meeting recordings for meetings held on or after June 27, 2022

Live meeting streams and archived meeting videos continue to be available on the Ottawa City Council YouTube Channel. More information is available in the Watch or listen to Council and committee meetings article.

Meeting documentation from January 2001 to June 2012 can be accessed through the legacy agendas and minutes application.

If at any time you are unable to find a document or access the links above, please send an email to Committees@ottawa.ca.