City of Ottawa allocates $1 million in pre-development support for five affordable housing projects

1525 Goth
Rendering of 1525 Goth Ave.

Ontario Construction News staff writer

The City of Ottawa has allocated $1 million in “funding towards pre-development expenses” for several affordable housing projects.

The initiative through a Request for Proposals process is the second time the city has provided money for “our non-profit partners” to prepare proposals for what would become “shovel ready projects when capital funding becomes available,” Donna Gray, general manager, Community and Social Services, wrote in a Nov. 29 memo to Ottawa City Council.

The most recent RFP closed on May 2 and Gray wrote that “Housing Services received several submissions” in response.

“The considerable time and effort invested in the proposals was reflected in the quality of the projects submitted by each of the project teams and demonstrates the commitment of our partners in developing affordable and supportive housing in the City of Ottawa. The budget available for allocation was $1,000,000, which was less than the total $1,868,851 requested by proponents. As such, Housing Services selected the highest scoring submissions based on proposal evaluation criteria,” she wrote.

She then listed the successful proposals with descriptions outlined below:

Ellwood House (2270 Braeside Ave. – Ward 18 Alta Vista)

Ellwood House is an existing affordable/community housing development for independent seniors located at 2270 Braeside Ave. on the campus of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, which is part of the Anglican Diocese. This existing facility, which was completed in 1988, includes 30 apartments for seniors, a portion of which are rent-geared-to-income units. Ellwood House is proposing an extension of the existing facility with 38 new units, also intended for seniors, in a 3.5 storey apartment addition on the north side of the existing building.

Ellwood House benefitted from $100,000 in pre-development funding through the 2019 Request for Proposal process. That funding mainly supported the project’s application for a Zoning By-law Amendment which was approved by Council on Sept. 21, 2022, with the appeal period ending in late October. The 2022 pre-development funding allocation of up to $200,000 towards the Ellwood project will help fund the Site Plan Control application process. Ellwood House is aiming to be shovel-ready in early 2023.

Interval House of Ottawa (1525 Goth Ave. – Ward 10 Gloucester-Southgate)

Interval House of Ottawa is an organization that empowers individuals who identify as women and their dependents, in partnership with the community by providing safe shelter, support, intervention and prevention services to break the cycle of violence. Interval House has been operating for 45 years and has sheltered over 3,600 women and over 5,000 children fleeing violence. Interval House is proposing a new 10-unit transitional housing facility at 1525 Goth Ave. which is intended to provide housing for women and their dependents who are fleeing violence.

Interval House has been allocated up to $200,000 in pre-development funding to assist in funding a Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control application for the proposed project. Interval House is aiming to be shovel-ready in late 2023.

Shepherds of Good Hope (1083 Merivale Rd. – Ward 16 River)

Shepherds of Good Hope is one of the largest not-for-profit registered charitable organizations serving the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness in the City of Ottawa. Shepherds has over 20 years of supportive housing experience and intends to expand their supportive housing portfolio with their most recently proposed project at 1083 Merivale Rd.

Shepherds purchased the properties at 1095 and 1085 Merivale Rd. in 2021 with financial support from the City of Ottawa and the Province through the Social Services Relief Funding program and are currently undertaking an extensive renovation of the existing building at 1095 Merivale Rd. to provide 57 supportive housing units. These units are expected to be occupied in early 2023.

As a second phase of this project, Shepherds of Good Hope is proposing the construction of an additional multi-unit supportive housing building on-site with approximately 53 units. They have been allocated up to $168,851 to help fund the pre-development work associated with this second building, including the preparation and submission of a Site Plan Control application.

Shepherds of Good Hope intends to submit development applications in early 2023 and aims to be shovel-ready in early 2024.

Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (212 Carruthers Ave. – Ward 15 Kitchissippi; 171 Armstrong Ave. – Ward 15 Kitchissippi)

Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) is Ottawa’s largest private not-for-profit affordable housing provider, and they are undertaking the redevelopment of two of their properties at 212 Carruthers Ave. and 171 Armstrong Ave. As these existing buildings are older and at the end of their useful lifecycle, CCOC is proposing to redevelop the sites with low- rise apartment buildings containing a mix of affordable rents and unit sizes. In total the projects would create approximately 21 new affordable housing units.

CCOC benefitted from $180,000 in pre-development funding through the 2019 Request for Proposal process, which supported the development of concept plans, project costing and Site Plan Control preparations. The 2022 allocation of up to $200,000 will help fund the submission and approval of Site Plan Control applications. CCOC aims to be shovel ready in early 2024.

St. Patrick’s Home of Ottawa (2865 Riverside Dr. – Ward 16 River)

St. Patrick’s currently provides long-term care to 288 residents at their existing facility at 2865 Riverside Dr.. Over the past three years, St. Patrick’s has been furthering their strategic direction to evolve the services and supports provided at the St. Patrick’s campus. They are proposing an affordable purpose-built, 133-unit seniors apartment building, including a range of social and health supports adjacent to the existing long-term care home on site.

St. Patrick’s benefitted from $200,000 in pre-development funding through the 2019 Request for Proposal process, which mainly supported the project’s application for a Zoning By-law Amendment that was approved by Council in November 2021. The 2022 allocation of up to

$200,000 will help fund the preparation and submission of the Site Plan Control application. St. Patrick’s Home of Ottawa is aiming to be shovel-ready in early 2023.

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