Deachman: City fees are squeezing small developers out of rental housing

Ottawa Citizen

11-07-2025

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'I don't understand why we can't have some flexibility,' she adds. 'I think everybody would be willing to discuss other options. We don't want to discourage people like (Latreille), who are very innovative, forward thinking, and who are not afraid to develop in heritage properties, who are already familiar with ByWard Market. It's just sad that all of these things that I don't really have control over are shutting him down.'
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McCreight says he expects the recommendations from the mayor's housing task force will address some of these issues.
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'My understanding is that will come out soon, and there's some different ideas in there about how applications can be processed more efficiently. These are all things we're looking at.'
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Is it too late for Latreille? On Wednesday, he received a response to an email he sent to numerous city officials outlining his situation more than three weeks ago. The note, sent by former councillor Scott Moffatt, who is now program manager of operational projects with the city's Planning, Development & Building Services department, offered cold comfort, noting that the overall percentage of Latreille's project's expenses earmarked for city fees is 'within the standard that others on the development industry see on most projects.' He too said the mayor's housing task force will be presenting recommendations to council on ways the city can assist in advancing housing, with the costs cited by Latreille being one of those issues.
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Latreille has all but stuck a fork in his project. Asked if the current system of regulations has made him an endangered species in the world of developers, he scarcely pauses before answering: 'It makes me extinct.'
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This is the list of city-related costs provided by Latreille if he wants to develop his small-scale project:
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A. City Costs ($615,065)
1. Site Plan Control: $77,608
2. Engineering Review: $10,000
3. Heritage Application: $9,737
4. Minor Variance: $5,209
5. Demolition Permit: $5,723
6. Building Permit: $28,000
7. Demolition Permit (Heritage Property): $3,288
8. Development Charges (four units existing, 12 units x $26,400 each with 20 per cent rebate): $316,800
9. Conservation Authority: $1,200
10. School Board Charges (EDCs): $18,000
11. Parkland Dedication (10 per cent of land value, preliminary value = $1.2m): $120,000
12. Site Plan Control Legal Agreement Fee: $7,500
13. Pre-Consultation (2): $2,000
14. Street Parking Permit: $10,000
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B. Requested Studies/Reports ($65,500)
1. Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I): $4,000
2. Geotechnical Study (Soil Bearing): $5,000
3. Noise Impact Study: $5,000
4. Heritage Impact Assessment: $5,000
5. Urban Design Brief: $5,000
6. Tree Conservation Report/Arborist Report: $2,000
7. Servicing and Stormwater Management Report: $7,000
8. Planning Rational: $5,000
9. Grading and Drainage Plan (Included in Civil Fee): $5,000
10. Erosion and Sediment Control Plan: $3,000
11. Landscape Plan: $3,000
12. Conservation Plan (Part of Heritage Impact Assessment): $5,000
13. Plan of Survey: $5,000
14. Zoning Confirmation Report: $500
15. High-Performance Development Standard: $6,000