Ottawa City Council has voted to delay implementation of municipal green-building standards that were to take effect on July 1.
Council passed a motion by a vote of 14 to 10 at its meeting Wednesday to push back the implementation date until the city receives further guidance from the province expected this summer.
Coun. David Hill put forward the motion that was seconded by Coun. George Darouze.
The new rules, called Highย Performanceย Developmentย Standardsย and to be phased in over seven years, were to be in place last summer but were delayed allowing time for the provincial PC government to respond to Ottawaโs new Official Plan.
Once implemented the rules would require that new buildings use sustainable building materials and practices to meet heightened energy efficiency standards whileย enforcingย zoning requirements for electrical vehicleย parking. Since buildingsย areย amongย the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissionsย fromย heating, cooling, and lighting, moreย energy-efficient buildings couldย significantly reduce Ottawaโs carbon footprint andย helpย it meet ambitious emission reduction targets.
Butย Hillย said costsย of implementing the standards could be as much as $10,000 per new house, arguing that theย delayย givesย the provincialย government more time toย clarify guidelinesย in its new housing legislation including the More Homes Built Faster Act.
Capital Ward Coun. Shawn Menard, however, said theย HPDSย should be implemented now to avoid costly building retrofits down the road, suggesting as well that the standards have strong support from the public.
Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine opposed the motion toย defer noting that otherย municipalitiesย have adoptedย green building standardsย such asย Torontoย whichย has hadย similar standardsย in place since 2008.ย He also said Ottawa would realize theย environmental and economic benefitsย from moreย energy-efficient buildings.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe supported deferring a decision untilย Queenโs Park provides more input.
Coun. Tim Tierney said Ottawa is in a โbattle of the emergencies.
โIs it the environmental emergency or is it the housing emergency?โ said Tierney, who voted in support of the motion to defer.