General Meeting – June 16 2025 – Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital

Members present: Paul Johanis (chair), Nicole Des Roches, Iola Price, Anthony Keith, Jason Kania, Erwin Dreessen

1. Adoption of the agenda

The proposed agenda was agreed upon, with the addition of 2(f) under Association reports, 4(b)iii and 4(c)v under Threats/Opportunities

Moved by Nicole, seconded by Jason. Approved.

2. Administrative items

a. Minutes of April 21 2025 meeting (for approval)

Moved by Erwin, seconded by Nicole. Carried.

b. Greenspace Alliance AGM 2025

The Greenspace Alliance held its Annual General Meeting on May 26 2025. The <annual report> was delivered and Board elections were held. All Board members were returned, except Terry McIntyre who did not run. The new Board for 2025-26 is Paul Johanis (Chair/Treasurer), Nicole DesRoches (Vice-Chair), Iola Price, J.P. Unger and Jason Kania.

c. Association reports:

i. Paul reported on an event he attended on April 23 at which he made a presentation about the Greenspace Alliance to members of the National Capital Environmental Non-Profit Network. Several contacts were made and potential new members identified.

ii. Meeting with Debbie Stewart, May 27

As part of a POP delegation Paul participated in a meeting with Debbie Stewart, General Manager of Strategic Initiatives for the City of Ottawa. It was in follow up to a POP-initiated meeting last December, at which time a commitment to regular meetings was made. The Natural Systems group, which is the main city staff group with which the GA interacts, now reports to this General Manager. The meeting focused on improving public engagement for the Climate Change and Affordable Housing priorities managed by this new group. Of specific interest to the GA, we learned that the updated Tree Canopy Cover report will be released in the fall and also that a new Greenspace Master Plan will definitely be developed, with community input.

iii. FCA New Zoning Bylaw Workshop, May 24

The FCA held a second workshop on the new Zoning bylaw, focussing on developing a response to Draft 2 of the ZBL. GA member David McNicoll participated as did Paul. Greenspace and tree preservation is still a top priority expressed by participants from community associations. There is general acceptance of the need for increased density but concern that the necessary ancillary services like transit, amenities and schools will not keep pace.

iv. Open letter by C3

The Citizen Climate Counsel (C3), a POP affiliated group which includes GA member Stephen Hazell, has produced an <open letter> to the Mayor of Ottawa on the topic of resiliency in the face of the increased risk of riverine and overland flooding due to climate change. This has long been a subject of keen interest to the GA.

v. Moore Farm update:

Nicole reported that the effort by not-for-profit groups to lease and provide programming at the Moore Farm on Taché Blvd in Gatineau has been turned down. It seems that a private sector proposal is instead being considered.

d. Website report

Paul reported that the preview and edit function for automatically generated social media and newsletter content was implemented. There is still an outstanding issue regarding duplicated postings to resolve. JP also reported an issue with Search results that yield just a topic, with no content or links to content. Both issues will be addressed by the contractor before final payment.

e. Treasurer’s report

The Plant Sale was a great success this year. Many thanks to GA member Janice Seline for her unfailing efforts again this year.

f. Priority follow-up items from 2024-25 Annual Report

Iola presented an analysis she made of the 2024-2025 Annual Report, flagging items that deserved follow up in the coming year. It was agreed that this was a very useful monitoring exercise and would be included as a standard agenda item of the monthly general meetings.

Action: Paul to circulate Iola’s analysis to members.

Official Plan 2021
The Planning and Housing Committee and ARAC will consider a staff report at a joint meeting on June 18 regarding changes that must be made to the Official Plan to comply with the provisions of the new Provincial Planning Statement 2024. The only policy issue that is of immediate concern to the GA is the introduction of one-off applications for urban expansions, outside of the normal 5-year comprehensive review cycle. The staff report is consistent with the broad guidelines the City published in an October 2023 memo on how to deal with private applications for urban expansion, which the GA supported.

However, the Ontario Land Tribunal ruled on May 8, 2025 that the City’s fees were unlawful and the information requirements unreasonable. Therefore, City staff will undertake the necessary studies itself (see next item).

New Population and housing growth projections

At the same meeting, City staff outlined how it will proceed with providing an updated baseline for population and residential growth for the purpose of assessing such private applications for urban expansion. The methodology is sound and consistent with recent City practice, which the GA helped establish and supports. The only difference is that the Ministry of Finance population projections must now be used as a starting point. The GA will want to closely follow and analyze how the City intends to validate these projections.

It was also noted that the most recent Development Report states that in the period of 2021-2023 densification accounted for 69% of all new dwellings, while the target for that point in time was 45%. This validates POP’s argument that densification targets could be met without urban expansion.
Urban Forest Management Plan
As part of the second 4-year planning period of the Urban Forest Management Plan, the City is undertaking public consultation on the planting guidelines and species list to be used for replenishing the urban area so as to reach and maintain the canopy target set in the Official Plan. The first meeting of community stakeholders, to which the GA was invited, was held on June 16. A consultant retained for this work gave a presentation and collected feedback from the participants on various aspects of the guidelines and the desired principles that should underpin the species list.
A Plethora of Unsavory Bills
We briefly discussed Ontario Bill 5, which by now has been passed into law, with potential damaging implications for both the environment and for civil liberties. All that can happen now to change this outcome is a court challenge from groups such as the Canadian Environmental Law Association or Environmental Defense, which we will monitor.

Threats and Opportunities

RURAL
Chalk River
Led by JP and at his initiative, the GA signed on to a letter to Prime Minister Carney in support of renewable energy and opposing federal investment in new nuclear reactors.
MAJOR URBAN
NCC Core Plan
Paul, on behalf of GA member Arto Keklikian, provided an update on the NCC Core Plan which he has been monitoring on behalf of the GA, giving it an overall positive review as regards efforts to preserve and develop new greenspace in the city core. He noted the emphasis placed by the plan on opening up and featuring greenspaces all along the core shoreline from Lebreton Flats to Rockcliffe Park.
POETS PATHWAY
The Poets’ Pathway was featured at Councilor Brockington’s April 26 Earth Day event and as part of a Jane’s Walk on May 4. Work is continuing to finalize and document the updated course of the pathway, with the help of a summer student obtained through the University of Ottawa placement program.
OTHER
3930 Riverside Dr
Paul reported on a development application for multiple residential and mixed-use structures on a 5-acre waterfront lot at the corner of Riverside Drive and Hunt Club Road. This property on the Rideau River was first proposed for development in 2018, at which time the GA attended the open house and made representations. This new proposal is an improvement, with appropriate environment, parkland and cultural heritage dedications obtained.
Southern Corridor
The Poets Pathway goes through what is called the Southern Corridor. At the western end, the Woodroffe-Merivale corridor is a linear greenspace that runs north of the abandoned Beachburg rail line. This section is within the study area for the new Baseline-Merivale Secondary Plan. It is also on the list of vacant lands that are being offered for residential development by the federal government. At the eastern end, the Poets’ Pathway runs from Riverside Drive to McCarthy Road through McCarthy Meadow and McCarthy Woods. In draft 2 of the new Zoning Bylaw, while McCarthy Woods retains its EP zoning, the zoning for McCarthy Meadow is now shown as Development Reserve rather than Open Space. This was done at the request of the National Capital Commission, according to Hunt Club Community Association sources.
Action: The GA will raise the alarm and enlist its allies to get involved in the process to prevent the loss of these greenspaces or to at least retain a minimum greenspace passageway from east to west.
Trillium Woods
The City of Ottawa has finalized the acquisition of a 4.77-hectare forested property from Canderel Real Estate Firm through the federal Ecological Gifts Program (EGP). The property, located adjacent to Trillium Woods, is part of a designated core area within the City’s Natural Heritage System, as outlined in the Official Plan. It includes important wetland features along Shirley’s Brook and provides critical habitat for species at risk. With City ownership, the site will be permanently protected for conservation purposes. Under the terms of the Ecological Gifts Program, the land must be preserved in its natural state in perpetuity. The certified fair market value of the donation is $1,768,500, which Canderel may deduct from its taxable income under the program’s provisions.
Saint Louis Woods
Representatives from Orleans community associations have expressed concern that a cherished riverine woodland along the Ottawa River shoreline is gradually being degraded through shoreline erosion, frequent flooding, beaver activity and lack of care and maintenance. They are seeking help for the preservation and restoration of this significant greenspace. The GA agreed to help and put them in contact with city staff and environmental groups with expertise in these domains.

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