Residents of the Accora Village rental community in west Ottawa are expressing concerns about their landlord’s redevelopment plans, fearing potential displacement due to rising costs. The community, situated near Bayshore Shopping Centre, currently houses over 8,000 individuals in 1960s-era townhouses and apartment buildings. The property owner, Ferguslea Properties Limited, is planning to introduce a mix of low, medium, and high-rise units by 2050, covering a significant portion of the area between Carling Avenue, Bayshore Drive, Highway 417, and Holly Acres Road.
While Ferguslea has stated that there are no immediate issues necessitating the redevelopment, residents remain apprehensive. Acorn, an advocacy group for affordable housing, recently organized a rally to demand more transparency regarding the planned changes. The rally saw participants, including Wren Walker, a resident of Accora Village, expressing concerns about potential rent increases and emphasizing the current livability of the existing units.
Ferguslea is in the process of formulating a master plan for the area and has commenced gathering public feedback on design and development concepts. The proposed plan includes the addition of approximately 7,000 new housing units, along with parks, retail spaces, and infrastructure enhancements. The company has conducted public consultations, where residents highlighted priorities such as mitigating housing impacts, ensuring long-term affordability, promoting accessibility, and maintaining the community’s character.
Norma-Jean Quibell, a resident and Acorn member, has raised issues about the lack of clarity from Ferguslea regarding rent impacts, leading to uncertainties among tenants. Although Ferguslea aims to offer various housing options catering to different income levels and life stages, Quibell and others remain skeptical, likening the proposed units to luxury condos based on initial designs. Despite some revisions to the master plan based on tenant feedback, questions regarding timelines and city approvals remain unanswered.
Concerns about potential evictions akin to the Heron Gate case have also been raised by residents like Valerie Heyerdahl. They fear that newer developments could lead to rent hikes, especially for properties not covered under Ontario’s rent control laws. In response, local council members and Ferguslea have assured residents of prioritizing their well-being and implementing safeguards to prevent unfair evictions and rent increases.
Efforts are underway to balance development interests with tenant protection, with the city council passing an anti-renovictions bylaw to safeguard tenants from unjust evictions. Council members are committed to ensuring that Accora Village residents are not adversely affected by the redevelopment plans, emphasizing the importance of implementing stringent regulations to safeguard tenants’ rights.
