Rental Housing Regulatory Review

Rental Housing Regulatory Review

Over the last several months, the City of Ottawa has been undertaking the Rental Housing Regulatory Review. The goal of the study is to conduct a review of regulations governing private sector rental properties to address public health and safety, consumer protection, community nuisances and other areas of municipal concern. This review includes a review of policy options to address housing conditions, student housing, rooming houses and shared accommodations.

The consultant reports from Maclaren Municipal Consulting are now available for public review on Ottawa.ca and include their recommendations along with a summary of the consultations conducted to date. The recommendations can be viewed at the following links:

•           Regulation of Rental Housing

•           Regulation of Short-Term Rental Accommodations

City Staff will consider these recommendations and supporting arguments as they prepare final recommendations for the staff report, scheduled for publication in early November. The staff report will be considered at a Special Meeting of the Community and Protective Services Committee on November 15, 2019 and City Council on November 27, 2019. The City staff report will include recommended policy frameworks for the regulation of rental housing and short-term rental accommodations as well as recommendations concerning additional hotel, motel, and bed and breakfast regulation.

In advance of the special committee meeting, one final round of consultations lead by City staff will occur prior to the release of the staff report. This will include an online survey, available on ottawa.ca from October 4 to October 18 and two public meetings:

Rental Housing : Ben Franklin Place, on October 22, 6:00pm-8:00pm

Short-Term Rental Accommodations (Air BnB): Nepean Sportsplex on October 23, 6:00pm-8:00pm

I invite all residents to participate.