A significant housing development in Ottawa's Bells Corners community is stuck in a holding pattern, waiting on a provincial decision that could unlock nearly 2,000 new homes in a part of the city poised for growth.
The Properties Group has been working to advance a project at 1987 Robertson Road that would bring approximately 1,925 residential units to the northern edge of Bells Corners, a mix of mid-rise buildings ranging from six to nine storeys and three highrise towers. But the project has been on hold for roughly two years while regulators examine a key concern: the site's proximity to a slope descending to Stillwater Creek.
Why It's Been Stuck
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority raised concerns about land stability given the planned buildings' closeness to the creekside slope. In response, the City of Ottawa placed all properties across the city that met similar criteria on hold while slope stability issues were examined more broadly.
As Brian Lahey, principal consultant with The Properties Group, put it: "At that point, basically everything across the city that met that criteria went on hold for about two years."
Frustrated by the delays, the developer filed an appeal with the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). A decision from the provincial body is now expected within 60 days, which would allow the project to move into its next phases: completing the site plan agreement and advancing the rezoning and site plan application with the city.
Why This Location Makes Sense
Beyond the unit count, there's a compelling transit angle to this project. The 1987 Robertson Road site is adjacent to the future Moodie LRT station, the planned terminus of O-Train Line 3. Transit-oriented development at LRT stations is exactly what Ottawa's official plan envisions, and a project of this scale at a station site would be a meaningful realization of that vision.
The site required a complex three-way land arrangement involving the city and the National Capital Commission to establish proper vehicular access, another sign of just how much work has gone into getting this to the approval stage.
What It Means for Ottawa
With Ottawa continuing to grapple with housing supply and affordability pressures, nearly 2,000 units in an established community with strong transit access is exactly the kind of development the city needs. Bells Corners has the bones for intensification, existing services, road connections, and a community that has been evolving.
A 60-day window for a provincial decision means Ottawa could have clarity on this project before summer. Here's hoping the answer is yes.
Source: Ottawa Business Journal
