Rural services improving across Ottawa following 2024 Rural Summit
The Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee today received an update on the work the City has been doing since the 2024 Rural Summit to support rural communities.
In November 2024, rural residents engaged directly with City leaders about ways to improve rural services and representation. To deliver on those commitments, the City hired a new lead for its Rural Affairs Office to advance rural priorities. Each City department now has a rural lead as well, improving coordination and helping the City respond more effectively to rural needs and concerns.
Since the Rural Summit, the City has made progress in several key areas.
Improvements to rural roads and drainage: Ditch maintenance funding doubled in 2025, helping to improve safety and resolve issues with local flooding. The City also resurfaced about 75 kilometres of rural roads in 2025.
Managing future growth: The City is continuing to review how villages will grow over the next decade. That includes developing recommendations around growth opportunities in Ottawa’s smaller and mid-sized villages.
Protection for rural lands: The City continues to protect and restore hundreds of hectares land, supporting the City’s role as a steward of the environment and of local wildlife. The City has acquired 134 hectares of land for conservation, supporting restoration and stewardship activities on 68 hectares. The City also helped conservation partners acquire an additional 191 hectares.
Upgrades to parks, recreation and culture: Park improvements have been completed in several rural communities, with additional work already in the design stage. Several community centres have also been upgraded or expanded.
Support for rural businesses and the local economy: The City adopted a new Economic Development Rural Plan, which is helping create jobs and support local businesses. A dedicated Rural Business Liaison is now in place as well, to connect businesses with City services.
Review of city planning policies: The City is continuing to review its planning rules to better reflect rural realities and allow more flexibility for development across rural Ottawa.
Better access to social services and supports for seniors: The City is working to adapt how it delivers social services in the rural areas to help ensure services are easy to access and navigate. New supports are also helping seniors stay active and connected, recognizing the distinct needs of older adults living in rural communities.
Safer and more connected transportation options: Nearly 41 kilometres of paved shoulders have been added to rural roads, making travel safer for cyclists and drivers. New sidewalks and pathways are also being added in growing communities, and the City has updated rules to improve safety at rural intersections.
Stronger emergency preparedness: The Ottawa Alert system now provides real-time emergency updates to residents. The City also adopted a new climate strategy along with a grant program to help communities prepare for extreme weather emergencies.
Reliable emergency response: The City hired 141 new paramedics since the end of 2022, along with dedicated Paramedic response units in Kinburn, Richmond and Metcalfe. A new Paramedic dispatch system is further helping with response times.
One-year extension of all-terrain vehicle pilot
The Committee approved a one-year extension of the expanded all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trail network pilot in parts of Osgoode, Rideau-Jock and West Carleton-March wards.
In April 2025, Council approved expanding ATV routes onto more City-owned lands for a two-year pilot. The change added approximately 242 kilometres of new routes to the existing network. A formal agreement between the City and ATV clubs was finalized in November 2025. This delayed the start of the pilot until 2026. The one-year extension approved today would ensure the pilot runs for two full riding seasons, allowing enough time for a proper assessment. The pilot would continue until April 16, 2028.
New rules for drainage and grading on small housing projects
The Committee approved changes to the City’s Building By-law to make sure drainage and stormwater are properly planned for before building permits are approved. As part of Ottawa’s Housing Acceleration Plan, new residential buildings with up to 12 units are now exempt from site plan control – the process that the City uses to review new developments.
Drainage and stormwater runoff can affect nearby properties and are usually reviewed through site plan control. To make sure nothing is missed, the City is shifting some requirements for grading, drainage and surface-water plans to be considered as part of the building permit process. The change will help ensure drainage continues to be properly considered before construction begins, without imposing unnecessary regulatory burdens on builders.
Updated guidelines will help protect the character of Ottawa’s rural villages
The Committee approved updated design guidelines for low-rise infill housing in serviced rural villages and established urban neighbourhoods.
Low-rise infill includes residential buildings up to four storeys and is one of the most common ways new homes are added to existing neighbourhoods. When designed well, low-rise infill helps add more homes while protecting what residents value most about their neighbourhoods:
Protecting trees and landscaping
Improving public spaces
Respecting the character of a village or neighbourhood
Poor design can lead to buildings that feel too large, awkward layouts and the loss of trees.
While these updates are not a direct outcome of the Rural Summit, they support ongoing efforts to keep a strong rural focus in decisions that affect rural communities – especially protecting the unique character of Ottawa’s villages. This will help ensure growth happens in a way that reflects the scale, look and feel that make our rural villages unique.
First introduced in 2012, the City is updating the guidelines to align with the new Official Plan. They will be easier to use, with more visuals and examples. The guidelines provide clear direction to home builders, support timely development and help deliver:
More housing choice
Better-designed homes
Homes that are resilient to climate change
Greater accessibility
More livable communities
City Council will consider the recommendations from today’s meeting on Wednesday, July 15.