Ottawa's two housing crises
Ottawa city councillor Jeff Leiper says the city is facing not one but two housing crises: a shortage of affordable market housing, and a shortage of housing for people who cannot afford market housing at all. Leiper, who has represented Kitchissippi Ward since 2014, laid out his approach to both problems, along with his plans for the ByWard Market, arts funding and downtown revitalization, in a new interview with Ottawa Business Journal.
On the housing file, Leiper's central proposal is to build 1,500 not-for-profit housing units on city-owned land every year. The plan is aimed squarely at the second crisis he describes: housing for residents who are shut out of the market entirely, not just those priced out of it.
A model business on Wellington Street
Asked about what makes a business a genuine community asset rather than just another storefront, Leiper pointed to The Record Centre on Wellington Street as his example. "There is no better business in my mind than The Record Centre on Wellington Street as an example of that," he said, holding it up as the kind of local business he wants more of across the city.
Bylaw enforcement and the ByWard Market
Leiper also addressed two long-standing complaints from residents: slow response times on bylaw issues and safety concerns downtown.
The move would add support during the hours when the market's ongoing safety and social issues are often most visible.
Listening before revitalizing downtown
On the broader question of downtown revitalization, Leiper struck a more cautious note. "I'm not sure that we have done enough real listening at this point," he said, suggesting that before Ottawa commits further to a revitalization plan, the city needs to properly hear from the stakeholders involved. If elected mayor, he says his first step would be to report back on what those stakeholders have actually said, rather than pushing ahead with a plan built without that input.
Shifting arts funding toward the economy
Leiper also wants to change how the city funds arts and culture, proposing that a portion of arts and culture funding move into the city's economic development branch.
Ottawa city councillor Jeff Leiper has already floated a one per cent property tax levy for infrastructure repairs if elected mayor (ottown's earlier report), and this latest interview fills in more of how he'd approach housing, downtown safety and the arts alongside that infrastructure push.
Sources: Ottawa Business Journal
