Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020

On December 9, 2020, City Council approved a new ward boundary structure for the City of Ottawa.

In making its decision, Council considered the Final Report from the independent consultant team that conducted the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020, as well as recommendations from the Finance and Economic Development Committee.

The new Council-approved ward boundary structure is to take effect for the October 2022 Municipal Elections and is composed of 24 wards, with 12 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards.

It is anticipated that Council will enact a by-law to establish the new ward boundaries on January 27, 2021. In accordance with the Municipal Act, 2001, the City will issue public notice within 15 days of the by-law being approved. The public notice will advise that Council has passed the by-law and specify the last date on which a notice of appeal objecting to the by-law may be filed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. This website will be updated with the public notice once issued by the City.

More information regarding the next steps following Council’s approval of the ward boundary structure is outlined in the Frequently Asked Questions and Key Dates sections below. A Project Overview and other sections below also set out the City’s reasons for conducting the ward boundary review, the objectives of the review and the review process.

The following PDF maps [2 to 6 MB each] illustrate the boundaries of the 24 wards as approved by City Council on December 9, 2020.

Citywide | AW-1 | AW-2 | AW-3 | AW-4 | AW-5 | AW-6 | AW-7 | AW-8 | AW-9 | AW-10 | AW-11 | AW-12 | AW-13 | AW-14 | AW-15 | AW-16 | AW-17 | AW-18 | AW-19 | AW-20 | AW-21 | AW-22 | AW-23 | AW-24

An interactive geoOttawa map is also available directly below. The GIS shapefiles of the Council-approved ward boundaries will be available for download on Open Ottawa in January 2021.

The new ward system is to be implemented for the October 2022 Municipal Elections.

The wards are listed as AW- followed by a number. This numbering system is used only to reference specific wards for this project. Before the 2022 municipal election, Council will approve ward numbers and names as part of the implementation of the realigned ward system.

The City of Ottawa reviewed its ward boundaries in 2020. Ward boundaries must be reviewed periodically to balance population numbers and achieve other components of “effective representation,” as established by the Supreme Court of Canada and Ontario’s Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (formerly the Ontario Municipal Board). The last major review was completed in 2005 and established the City's 23 wards. 

Since the last major ward boundary review, Ottawa has seen considerable population growth, especially in suburban wards outside the Greenbelt. Some wards are growing twice as fast as others, creating population imbalances. Barrhaven (Ward 3)’s population is now 43 per cent above the average ward population of 44,000, Gloucester-South Nepean (Ward 22)’s population is 23 per cent above average and Cumberland (Ward 19)’s population is 17 per cent above average.

The Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 was meant to establish boundaries that can be used in at least three municipal elections (2022, 2026 and 2030) and, perhaps, a fourth municipal election in 2034.

Based on direction from City Council, an independent, third-party consultant team conducted the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 to ensure it was objective and impartial. The team consulted extensively with the public, Members of Council and stakeholder groups, including school boards.

The project included two rounds of public consultation. Residents and businesses shared their thoughts through surveys and discussions. 

During Round 1 of public consultation (Wednesday, March 4, 2020 to Friday, April 3, 2020), input was received about the changes individuals wanted to see to the current ward boundaries. Following the Round 1 consultation, the Finance and Economic Development Committee and City Council received the Options Report from the consultant team, which included five options for realigning Ottawa’s wards, during their meetings on July 7, 2020, and July 15, 2020, respectively. During its meeting on July 15, 2020, Council requested the development of a sixth ward boundary option, based on certain criteria, which led to the Supplementary Report that provided a sixth option. The Options Report, the Supplementary Report, a document detailing minor adjustments to the Options 1 to 5 maps, and PDF maps for Options 1 to 6 continue to be available on this website.

In Round 2 of public consultation (Wednesday, August 19, 2020 to Friday, September 25, 2020), feedback was collected on the six ward boundary options. Following the Round 2 consultation on the six options, the consultant team developed its Recommended Ward Boundaries – Final Report. The Final Report was considered by the Finance and Economic Development Committee and Council during their meetings of December 1, 2020 and December 9, 2020, respectively. The Final Report continue to be available on this website.

At the meeting of December 9, 2020, Council approved a new ward boundary structure for the City of Ottawa.

Key dates

Date	Project Life Cycle
June 2019	City Council considered the report titled, “City of Ottawa Ward Boundary Review (2019-2020),” and approved the framework for a comprehensive review of the City of Ottawa’s ward boundaries, including the Terms of Reference for the review and directing staff to undertake a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to retain an independent consultant to conduct the review.
December 2019	On December 11, 2019, Council approved Budget 2020, which included the financial implications resulting from the outcome of the ward boundary review RFP process. Further to Council’s adoption of the budget, Beate Bowron Etcetera Inc., in association with The Davidson Group and Hemson Consulting Ltd., was selected through the RFP process as the successful proponent for the ward boundary review.
January 2020	Ottawa’s ward boundary review began.
Wednesday, March 4, 2020 to Friday, April 3, 2020	Round 1 public consultation collected opinions about Ottawa’s current ward boundaries. This included consultation with all Members of Council, residents, and stakeholders through public meetings, and a survey and online discussion on Engage.Ottawa.ca. Due to the necessary cancellation of some of the in-person public meetings because of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents and stakeholders were strongly encouraged to complete the online survey, submit input through the Guest Book, or provide written input.
July 2020	On July 7, 2020, and July 15, 2020, respectively, the City’s Finance and Economic Development Committee and Council received the consultant team’s Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 - Options Report. The Options Report incorporates input received during Round 1 of the consultation from members of the public, Members of Council and key stakeholders, and research and analysis by the consultant team. The Options Report includes five options for new ward boundaries. At the July 15 meeting, Council requested the development of a sixth ward boundary option, based on certain criteria. The Supplementary Report on Option 6 was available prior to the start of the Round 2 public consultation. Minor adjustments to the original five option maps and an interactive geoOttawa mapping feature were also available prior to the start of Round 2.
Wednesday, August 19, 2020 to Friday, September 25, 2020	Round 2 consultation collected feedback and suggested improvements to the six options to realign Ottawa’s wards. This included nine virtual public and stakeholder meetings, meetings with all Members of Council, and a public survey and Guest Book for comments on Engage.ottawa.ca. The public could also request hard copies of the survey.
December 2020	The consultant team provided its Final Report. On December 1, 2020, the Finance and Economic Development Committee considered the consultant team's Final Report. On December 9, 2020, Council considered the Committee's recommendations and approved the new ward boundary structure for the City of Ottawa.
Wednesday, January 27, 2021	It is anticipated that Council will enact the by-law establishing the new ward boundary structure [Subsection 222(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001]. Following enactment of the by-law, there is a 45-day period in which notices of appeal for the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) may be filed with the City setting out the objections to the by-law and the reasons in support of the objections. [Subsection 222(4) of the Municipal Act, 2001].
Within 15 calendar days after the by-law is enacted	The City shall give notice of the passing of the by-law to the public specifying the last date for filing a notice of appeal to the LPAT [Subsection 222(3) of the Municipal Act, 2001]. The public notice will be provided on this website once issued.
Within 15 calendar days after the end of the appeal period	The City shall forward any notices of appeal to the LPAT [Subsection 222(5) of the Municipal Act, 2001]. The LPAT shall hear the appeal (anticipated in the months after receiving any notice(s) of appeal from the City) and may make an order affirming, amending or repealing the by-law [Subsection 222(7) of the Municipal Act, 2001].
By December 31, 2021	Any by-law establishing new ward boundaries must be in force before January 1, 2022, in order for any ward boundary changes to be in effect for the 2022 Municipal Elections [Subsection 222(8) of the Municipal Act, 2001]. Therefore, the City’s by-law to establish ward boundaries would come into force for the 2022 Municipal Elections if no notices of appeal are filed, or if any notices of appeal are withdrawn prior to January 1, 2022, or if notices of appeal are filed and the LPAT issues an order to affirm or amend the by-law before January 1, 2022.
October 2022	Municipal Elections.

Staff report City of Ottawa Ward Boundary Review (2019-2020) (June 2019)

Ward Boundary Review 2020 Backgrounder (March 2020) [750 KB]

Presentations

Presentation – Round 1 Public Engagement (March and April 2020) [858 KB]

Presentation – Round 2 Public Engagement (August and September 2020) [6 MB]

Presentation - Finance and Economic Development Committee (December 2020) [2 MB]

Options and Supplementary Reports (July and August 2020)

Options Report

Map and Table Adjustments - Options 1 - 5 (Adjustments to Appendix A)

Supplementary Report - Option 6 (August 2020)

Option 1 [5 MB] | Option 2 [5 MB] | Option 3 [5 MB] | Option 4 [5 MB] | Option 5 [5 MB] | Option 6 [2 MB]

Recommended Ward Boundaries Final Report (December 2020)

Final Report

Maps of recommended ward boundaries [2 to 5 MB]:

Citywide | RW-1 | RW-2 | RW-3 | RW-4 | RW-5 | RW-6 | RW-7 | RW-8 | RW-9 | RW-10 | RW-11 | RW-12 | RW-13 | RW-14 | RW-15 | RW-16 | RW-17 | RW-18 | RW-19 | RW-20 | RW-21 | RW-22 | RW-23 | RW-24

Other supporting documents

Population projections by traffic zones  

Open Data shapefiles

French mother tongue population by ward

Why did the City revisit Ottawa’s ward structure?

In June 2019, City Council directed City staff to retain an independent consultant to conduct a comprehensive review of the City of Ottawa’s ward boundaries. The review was meant to establish boundaries that could be used in at least three municipal elections (2022, 2026 and 2030) and, perhaps, a fourth municipal election in 2034. The last major review of Ottawa’s ward boundaries occurred in 2004-2005.

The City of Ottawa has seen a considerable spike in population since the last ward boundary review – particularly in Barrhaven (Ward 3), where there has been expanded development of residential communities. The population in other wards has also increased, notably in Gloucester-South Nepean (Ward 22) and Cumberland (Ward 19). Population projections indicate these areas will continue to grow.

A review of ward boundaries is intended to achieve “effective representation” as established by the Supreme Court of Canada. Effective representation is the “goal” of all ward boundary reviews.

What is Effective Representation?

Generally speaking, “effective representation” means that one person’s vote should be of similar weight to another person’s vote. When applied to wards, the term suggests that wards should be of similar population size. In practice, achieving effective representation for ward boundary reviews involves balancing several components:

• Voter Parity: Ward populations should be similar but not identical and should be in the range of +/-10 per cent to +/-15 per cent of the average ward population. Larger percentage variations are possible, but only in exceptional circumstances such as in Ottawa’s functioning rural community or in rapidly growing wards.
• Natural/Physical Boundaries: Ward boundaries have to be recognizable. Natural boundaries such as rivers and the Greenbelt, and physical boundaries such as highways, railways and arterial roads make good boundaries.
• Geographic Communities of Interest: Ottawa’s neighbourhoods such as the Glebe or Hintonburg and commercial areas such as the ByWard Market are considered to be “communities of interest.” When re-aligning ward boundaries, geographically contiguous communities of interest should not be divided, unless they are so large that they must be split to achieve voter parity.
• Minority Interests: Minority interests should be considered if they are geographically based.
• Ward History: Ward design should, where possible, consider the history of the ward. However, ward history by itself cannot override other major criteria such as voter parity, strong natural/physical boundaries and communities of interest.
• Capacity to Represent: Capacity to represent is often equated with Councillors’ workload. It includes matters such as ward size, types and complexity of issues, ongoing growth and development, etc. and has to be taken into consideration when designing wards.
• Geographic Size and Shape of a Ward: All wards cannot be the same geographic size. Some areas of the city are more densely populated than others and some wards have more open space. Ottawa is especially unique with respect to this component of effective representation because of its large rural area.
• Population Growth: The results of the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 are meant to last for at least three municipal elections (2022, 2026 and 2030) and, perhaps, a fourth municipal election in 2034. The target election for an evaluation of effective representation is 2026. This allows for Ottawa’s expected growth to be factored into ward boundary calculations.
• Balancing the Components of Effective Representation: While all components of effective representation must be taken into consideration, they are not all equal. Voter parity, respecting communities of interest, and well-defined, coherent ward boundaries are the most important components.

How did the City review its ward structure?

In accordance with Council direction, an independent third-party consultant team was retained to lead the comprehensive ward boundary review in order to ensure that the process of determining ward boundaries was impartial and approached without preconceived ideas or predetermined outcomes.

During the 12-month process, the consultant team:

• Completed background research
• Developed population projections
• Led the public consultation process to collect opinions about Ottawa's current ward boundaries (Round 1)
• Developed five options for realigning Ottawa’s wards
• Prepared and presented an Information Report to the Finance and Economic Development Committee and City Council setting out options for re-aligning Ottawa’s wards
• Developed a sixth option at City Council's request, based on certain criteria
• Led the public consultation process to collect feedback on the six options to realign Ottawa's wards (Round 2)
• Prepared and presented their Recommended Ward Boundaries - Final Report to the Finance and Economic Development Committee and City Council

What did the consultation process look like?

Consultation was conducted in two rounds. Round 1 collected input on what the public, stakeholders and Members of Council would like to see changed in Ottawa’s current ward boundary alignment, while Round 2 collected feedback on the six options for realigning Ottawa's wards.

Some of the public meetings and sessions with stakeholders for Round 1 were cancelled as part of the City’s response to COVID-19. Due to the necessary cancellation of the in-person public meetings, residents and stakeholders were strongly encouraged to complete the online survey, submit input through the Guest Book, or provide written input.

Because of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, six public consultation sessions during Round 2 were held via Zoom. Three of the sessions invited comments from participants from all over the city, while another three sessions focused more on each of Ottawa’s geographic communities – urban, suburban and rural. Three additional Zoom sessions were held for stakeholders (e.g. Business Improvement Areas, school boards, city-wide associations, community groups, etc.). Sessions occurred on varying days of the week – including Saturday – and times ranged from mid-morning to late afternoon to the evening hours. Round 2 also included a public survey (online and available in hardcopy), interviews with all Members of Council, and an online public engagement component through Engage.Ottawa.ca.

Who led the review?

The consultant team consists of:

• Beate Bowron, Beate Bowron Etcetera (Project Manager and responsible for the public consultation process)
• Dr. Gary Davidson, The Davidson Group (Responsible for ward boundary re- alignment options and final recommendations)
• Russell Mathew and Patrick Barbieri, Hemson Consulting Ltd. (Responsible for population projections)

Members of the consultant team are familiar with Ottawa and have extensive experience in conducting ward boundary reviews.

What are the anticipated next steps following consideration of the Final Report?

Any approved changes to ward boundaries would be enacted by way of by-law. Should ward boundary changes be approved at the Council meeting of December 9, 2020, it is anticipated that the enacting by-law would be brought forward to the Council meeting of January 27, 2021.

Should Council enact a by-law to change ward boundaries, there is a 45-day period in which notices of appeal for the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) – setting out the objections to the by-law and the reasons in support of the objections – could be filed with the City. The City will provide public notice specifying the last date for filing a notice of appeal within 15 calendar days after Council enacted the by-law.

Within 15 calendar days after the last day for filing a notice of appeal for the LPAT, the City will forward any notices of appeal to the LPAT. The City is also required to provide any other information or material that the LPAT requires in connection with the appeal.

The LPAT would hear the appeal and may make an order affirming, amending or repealing the by-law.

In the event of an appeal, provided that any decision made by the LPAT occurs before January 1, 2022, it is anticipated that the new ward boundaries would be in effect for the October 2022 Municipal Elections. If the LPAT decision occurs after January 1, 2022 (and did not repeal the by-law), any new ward boundaries would come into force for the 2026 Municipal Elections.

A decision by the LPAT is subject to appeal, with leave of the Court, to Divisional Court. Provided that the LPAT has issued an order before January 1, 2022, it would continue to be possible for the new ward boundaries to come into effect if leave to appeal is not granted or the appeal is dismissed.

When will any new ward boundaries come into effect?

City Council has the final decision on whether to approve any recommendations regarding ward boundaries. Subject to the information above, it is anticipated that any changes that are adopted would be implemented for the 2022 Municipal Elections.

Is this going to affect the school board elections?

School board electoral areas (zones) are composed of one or more municipal wards. Therefore, changes to the ward boundaries could affect the school boards’ electoral boundaries. Any new boundaries would be established by the school boards.

Where can I find a map of the current Ottawa wards and their populations?

Ward Look-up Tool

Current Ward Maps and Population

Ward maps and population

Ward Number	Ward Name	Ward Councillor	Population 2019 year end
1	Orléans	Matthew Luloff	48,304
2	Innes	Laura Dudas	42,796
3	Barrhaven	Jan Harder	62,848
4	Kanata North	Jenna Sudds	38,497
5	West Carleton-March	Eli El-Chantiry	26,003
6	Stittsville	Glen Gower	41,350
7	Bay	Theresa Kavanagh	45,696
8	College	Rick Chiarelli	51,914
9	Knoxdale-Merivale	Keith Egli	39,676
10	Gloucester-Southgate	Diane Deans	47,505
11	Beacon Hill-Cyrville	Tim Tierney	33,982
12	Rideau-Vanier	Mathieu Fleury	50,075
13	Rideau-Rockcliffe	Rawlson King	40,285
14	Somerset	Catherine McKenney	42,277
15	Kitchissippi	Jeff Leiper	45,631
16	River	Riley Brockington	48,612
17	Capital	Shawn Menard	38,690
18	Alta Vista	Jean Cloutier	44,648
19	Cumberland	Catherine Kitts	51,743
20	Osgoode	George Darouze	28,557
21	Rideau-Goulbourn	Scott Moffatt	31,548
22	Gloucester-South Nepean	Carol Anne Meehan	55,656
23	Kanata South	Allan Hubley	49,915

Get involved in review of ward boundaries and equal representation

City to close recreation and cultural facilities, and libraries to help prevent spread of COVID-19 in Ottawa

Provide your feedback on the six ward boundary options

Questions can be sent to wardboundary@ottawa.ca.