Councillors have reached a compromise on a contentious development program that provides tax breaks for cleaning up contaminated land. Even the staunchest critics are finding the new housing criteria to be a win.Ottawa city councillors have reached a compromise on a contentious development program that provides tax breaks for cleaning up contaminated land. Ottawa's mayor has given up on a campaign promise to axe a contentious tax break for developers.
City staff have long argued this program is a money-maker because the post-development injection can reawaken a dormant property. Staff spent months working on recommendations to remould a program they already see as successful, eventually coming up with a plan to pull it closer to council priorities by limiting grants to affordable housing projects.
The result was a decision so unexpected that top planning brass gathered for an immediate huddle outside the chambers, confused that the program seemed destined to come through the review unscathed."We decided we need to go back to the drawing board, listen to what some of the different concerns were around the council table and try to rewrite this policy," said Gower, noting the rarity of the situation.
"This was always a pretty light incentive," Menard said. "I don't think it's going to be persuading people to move faster."
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