A new transit-oriented infill development in Ottawa is taking a victory lap as a model for sustainability, affordability, and collaboration.
Recently greenlit by Ottawa City Council, the residential complex Odayanhaway—Ojibwe for “Little Village”—is set to rise on an underutilized parking lot at 30 Cleary Avenue along the Ottawa River. In a release, developer Theia Partners called it “a new model for sustainable and affordable housing”.
Partnering with the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa (FirstU) and Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS), Theia says it plans to transform the site into a vibrant, inclusive community for 200 individuals and families.
Located a 200-metre walk from an upcoming transit station, Odayanhaway will incorporate geothermal heating and cooling and sustainable design practices, says Theia.
The development will include a woonerf, or “living street,” designed [pdf] for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists to safely share space, prioritizing quality of life.
The project consists of two buildings: a 16-storey market affordable high rise owned by FirstU and Theia, and a six-storey affordable non-profit owned and run by OAHS.
The high rise will contain 148 units, at least 80% of them meeting Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) affordability criteria, writes Theia. The mid-rise—enabled by a land donation from FirstU—will house 66 units “designed to provide culturally appropriate housing for Indigenous individuals and families.”
The project will break ground next summer, with completion pegged for 2028,with Theia pledging “a commitment to include deeply affordable units” at Odayanhaway.
