The research I do relies on the bound volumes of the bylaws and minutes of the City of Ottawa, dating back over a century. I’ve spent hours in the Main Branch Ottawa Room with these books (pictured). Sadly, this resource was recently “discarded” by the library. It’s a loss for local history.

These homes on Sherwood Drive look normal, sure. But did you know they’re the site of the only residential zoning appeal in Ottawa to reach the Supreme Court of Canada? It’s a wild story of secret council meetings, expropriations, fake highways—and a side of mustard. 🧵Thread…

If you’ve been to Minto Park, you’ve seen the bronze bust of 19th century Argentinian General Jose de San Martín. I often watch people walk up to the bust and give it a close look, hoping to find out what he’s doing there. Does San Martín have some sort of Centretown connection? Thread 🧵...

Ottawa Library Main Branch looking sad these days. Heavy weeding leaving shelves half empty. Ottawa Room being cleared of its archival documents.

I’ve been trying to find out why the bell tower at Ottawa City Hall isn’t used anymore. The City has told me that no records exist related to the carillon, and access to info requests have been unsuccessful. Yet at some point around ten years ago, they stopped ringing. Anyone know anything?

I had a similar issue. After filing an info request, I was falsely told no info on the subject existed. When I said I had some info already, they told me I should've told them that. They then gave me a few internal emails that discussed how little information they could "get away with" telling me.

City manager’s emails scarce on details on how 5-day return to office mandate came to be | CBC News

As the City of Ottawa’s 'new standard' for five days in-office begins in the new year, internal documents from the city manager’s office show how Wendy Stephanson planned to defend her controversial d...

cbc.ca

The City of Ottawa is nearing the finish line on its new zoning bylaw. Did you know Ottawa's zoning is only two degrees from Kevin Bacon? 🧵...

Bill 60 is very bad, and the cancellation of bike infrastructure on Albert-Slater and O'Connor is brutal. But considering the designs for these projects were completed in 2018 and 2019, they should've already been built years ago.

Ariel Troster@arieltroster.com · 8mo ago

Bill 60 means that we will not be able to add cycle tracks to Albert and Slater Street or extend the O’Connor bike lane to Wellington Street. It’s an absurd overreach by the Ford government that will make all road users less safe and waste millions. I hate it here. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Last week in the Globe, I argued that cities should replace city-wide zoning plans with simplified, flexible, and locally-oriented community planning permit systems (CPPS). Today, @jm-mcgrath argues in TVO that zoning should be standardized at the provincial level. These ideas can be compatible. 🧵

John Michael McGrath@jm-mcgrath.bsky.social · 10mo ago

New from me at TVO, arguing that some of the Ford government's latest housing tweaks need to be dialled up to 11. www.tvo.org/article/anal...

New from me in the Globe & Mail: Ottawa’s new zoning bylaw is a major step forward—but if we’re lucky, it’ll be the last of its kind.

Opinion: City zoning is beyond reform. To tackle the housing crisis, scrap the whole thing

Zoning isn’t doing what it’s supposed to be doing in Canada’s cities. The good news is that there is an alternative

theglobeandmail.com

My newest newsletter post over at Ottawa 3 Speed: A review of the proposed bike lanes on Gladstone Avenue and Gilmour Street. Westbound contra-flow lane on Gilmour! Protected intersection at Rochester! Weird, convoluted crossing of Bronson! #ottbike jordobicycles.substack.com/p/gladstone-...

Gladstone-Gilmour bikeway will boost cycling in Centretown...

...But bike lanes all the way down Gladstone are still needed

jordobicycles.substack.com

Successfully defended my Master's thesis! "The development of residential zoning bylaws in Ottawa, 1946–1965" coming soon to a PDF download near you...

I was surprised to learn today that there used to be bike lanes on Colonel By Drive. The lanes were installed in 1972, but I'm not sure when they were removed. With the pathways getting busier, this is something that @ncc-ccn.bsky.social should consider bringing back—there's a precedent for it.

One reason why the missing middle is missing: it takes a full year for the Ontario Land Tribunal to overturn a rogue ruling by the Committee of Adjustment, who rejected two 8-unit apartment buildings (two 6 unit buildings were allowed by right) against the opinion of City of Ottawa planners.

Jeff Leiper 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈@jleiper.bsky.social · last yr.

Two very interesting OLT decisions in the past few days. The tribunal removed heritage designation from 501 Cole (no decision yet online), and overturned the Committee of Adjustment's refusal at 370 Princeton (www.canlii.org/en/on/onlt/d...).

Percy & Catherine intersection: drivers get a green light, pedestrians get a walk signal, but cyclists (in between) get a red light. I can't think of any rational explanation for this set-up, and I don't think it exists anywhere else in the city (anybody know?) @arieltroster.com can you fix this?

They really did it.

National Capital Commission@ncc-ccn.gc.ca · last yr.

Swimming at the Dow’s Lake recreational dock starts today, June 12! ✨ 📍 Dow’s Lake 🏊‍♂️ Swimming is allowed every day 🧪 We have conducted robust testing within the swim area #ottnews

A great example of why main streets require safe cycling infrastructure. If you're wondering why cyclists don't just take parallel routes on quiet side streets, it's because they don't always exist.

Glen Gower@glengower.ca · last yr.

A map of alternate cycling routes for Stittsville Main Street. It's really not a safe street for cycling today, but there is a plan to upgrade the street with pathways on both sides. In the meantime, here are some safer alternatives.

Mutchmor Road in Old Ottawa East has to be one of the strangest streets in the city. Why is a two-lane neighbourhood street designed like a highway? In this post, I find out. open.substack.com/pub/jordobic...

Why is Mutchmor Road so wide?

Exploring how misguided transportation plans haunt Ottawa for generations

open.substack.com

It's very encouraging for Toronto that its newly-hired Chief Planner is touring Copenhagen for ideas (and posting about it). Note that the City of Ottawa has been without a chief planner since 2022.

Jason Thorne@jasonthorne.bsky.social · last yr.

Most malls make you cycle through the parking lot to get around them. Not in Copenhagen. This is the Cykelslangen at (around) the Fisketorvet mall. @tomflood.bsky.social @americanfietser.com @modacitylife.com

Toronto's foray into multi-unit buildings in traditionally low-density neighbourhoods is starting to produce results. Multiplex permits are up, but projects are still being held back by other zoning constraints such as setbacks and heights. Important lessons here for Ottawa's ongoing zoning reform.

Matt Elliott@graphicmatt.com · last yr.

Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #331! Toronto’s multiplexes are multiplying — but not fast enough. Guest writer @damienmoule.bsky.social returns with a look at the data, and what’s holding up the growth of multiplex housing. (No paywall!) toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/torontos-m...

New from me in the Citizen: Why the City of Ottawa's new Transportation Master Plan is a work of fantasy. Zombie roads, fairy LRTs/BRTs, and the twin dragons of cost and congestion—readers beware! ottawacitizen.com/opinion/zomb...

Moffatt: Zombies, fairies and dragons in Ottawa’s new transportation plan

This fantasy document won't solve our traffic problems. But other cities have found a way to slay bottlenecks.

ottawacitizen.com

Some lessons could be learned here for Ottawa’s Baseline BRT and not-quite-BRT Carling Avenue transit priority lanes.

Sean Marshall@seanyyz.bsky.social · last yr.

I recently visited London Ontario to check out progress on their scaled-back LRT project. Without signal priority, all-door boarding, and several significant bottlenecks, I’m wondering what the point of it was. seanmarshall.ca/2025/04/23/b...

I've seen some uninspiring plans from the City of Ottawa before, but the first draft of the new Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is especially weak. @alex-is.online has a summary here of all the planned projects from the 2013 TMP that have been cancelled in the new one.

alex 🇨🇦🍉@alex-is.online · last yr.

The City of Ottawa Draft Transportation Master Plan released today! Here's whats changed to our list of Transit Priority projects since the previous TMP 12 years ago! 🧵

Big news for flat walls: the 2nd draft of Ottawa's new zoning bylaw ditches the rule from the 1st draft that 20% of a front façade had to be recessed 60 cm. Flat walls mean more interior space for apartments and simpler construction for builders. jordobicycles.substack.com/p/three-spee...