Little Italy affordable housing tower clears major planning hurdle with committee approval
A 124-unit mixed-affordability rental building at Loretta and Hickory has won zoning changes needed to move forward, replacing five aging residential properties near the O-Train.
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A 124-unit affordable rental tower proposed for Little Italy has cleared a major planning hurdle, with the city's Planning and Housing Committee approving the official plan and zoning changes needed to move forward.
The project, led by non-profit Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC), would rise at the northeast corner of Loretta Avenue South and Hickory Street, replacing two low-rise residential buildings, a small multi-unit building, and three detached homes. The 12-storey building would feature a four-storey podium topped by an eight-storey point tower — a design city planners say eases the transition between high-rise buildings along the Trillium Line corridor and lower-rise homes to the west. The committee doubled the property's permitted height from six to 12 storeys, or 40 metres.
The building sits less than 200 metres from Dow's Lake O-Train station, placing it in one of Ottawa's best-served transit neighbourhoods. The design reflects that: just 13 vehicle parking spaces, but roughly 60 bicycle parking stalls. Residents will have access to approximately 370 square metres of indoor and outdoor amenity space, including a rooftop terrace on the fourth floor.
The unit mix includes three studio apartments, 95 one-bedroom units, 15 two-bedroom units, and 11 three-bedroom homes. The nine per cent of larger family-sized units exceeds the city's five per cent policy requirement for major transit station areas, addressing a gap in Ottawa's affordable housing stock where family-sized rentals are scarce.
CCOC says the project will provide long-term mixed-affordability rental housing owned and operated by the non-profit. A June notice triggered backlash from Little Italy tenants worried about displacement, though the project targets mixed-affordability rather than market-rate units.
The approval clears the path for construction to potentially begin, though city staff and the developer have not yet disclosed a timeline or funding strategy for the project.
How many of the 124 units will be reserved for households below market rent, and at what affordability threshold?
When is construction expected to begin, and when will the first residents move in?
What public funding or tax breaks is CCOC receiving for this project, and who is covering the gap?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
At a glance
Where exactly is this housing tower going?
The 124-unit tower will be built at the northeast corner of Loretta Avenue South and Hickory Street in Ottawa's Little Italy neighbourhood, less than 200 metres from Dow's Lake O-Train station.
How many units of each size will the tower have?
The building will contain three studio apartments, 95 one-bedroom units, 15 two-bedroom units, and 11 three-bedroom homes.
What approval did the project just receive?
On August 5, 2026, the city's Planning and Housing Committee approved the official plan and zoning changes needed for the project to move forward, including doubling the permitted height from six to 12 storeys.
