Spencer Radford
"I believe that eventually, the urban boundary will need to be expanding. The city is growing, and we need the space to do so. Expanding the boundary is something we have to be careful about, thinking carefully about where the boundary extends, and what adverse effects there would be.
Some points for expanding the urban boundary are:
- Increase space for Ottawa's population to grow.
- Start generating property taxes from more residences so the costs are spread out more.
- Bring more residential, industrial, and businesses.
I would not support expansion without a clear plan on how services and infrastructure would be developed. "
Theresa Kavanagh
"While intensification is preferable to expanding our city’s urban boundary, a balanced approach must be taken in order to ensure existing infrastructure, parks, and recreational facilities are maintained or upgraded to keep up with population growth.
I made my position on expanding the urban boundary very clear with my opposition to the expensive and ill-thought out Tewin development last year. I would much rather see more housing built in existing neighbourhoods, near transit stations, rather than supporting further urban sprawl, and building more car-reliant communities with expensive infrastructure expansion.
As a city, we need to ensure there is adequate housing at all ends of the income spectrum to support population growth. I will continue to advocate for sustainable growth within the urban boundary, and for housing to be built with the needs of residents at the forefront, not simply as an investment for private interests focused on maximizing profits at any cost.
Non-profit housing partners are critical to getting family-sized housing units built in urban areas. We need to ensure that neighbourhoods within the Greenbelt are able to provide housing for families who want to live in vibrant, connected communities, rather than continuing to expand our urban boundary to build more housing developments in the outer suburbs."