Strengthening Economic Development & Rural Infrastructure
Latest Update: May 7, 2026
Today at Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, we moved forward several important rural items, and I’m especially pleased that the final Economic Development Rural Plan came back with a stronger focus on action, accountability, and the real barriers rural businesses face. I thank everyone who has been engaged on this file as well as those who participated in consultation.
At its core, the Rural Economic Development Plan is meant to be a roadmap for how the City supports farms, rural businesses, village main streets, tourism, trades, industrial parks, and local entrepreneurs. It recognizes something we know well: rural Ottawa is not an afterthought. It is a major part of our city’s economy, identity, and future.
The plan includes a dedicated Rural Business Liaison, more decentralized business supports, stronger promotion of rural Ottawa, work on rural employment lands, and a closer look at on-farm diversified uses. These are good steps, but as I have said before, rural economic development cannot just mean more promotion. It has to mean removing the barriers that stop people from investing, expanding, and bringing services into our villages.
That is why I brought forward a motion asking Planning, Development and Building Services staff to report back with additional recommendations focused on improving rural zoning, planning policies, development processes, unserviced and legacy-sized lots, private servicing innovation, and public realm in rural villages. We need practical, rural-sensitive rules that make it easier to reuse properties, support the vitality of main streets, and help businesses get to yes.
I also brought forward a motion to make sure the economic impact of Ottawa’s local equine sector is considered as part of the Rural Plan, following the announcement that harness racing will be ending at Rideau Carleton Raceway. This decision affects more than the track. I have heard from horse owners and boarding operations that have highlighted the local impact of this closure on their families, hay producers, feed suppliers, veterinarians, farriers, and many other rural and agricultural businesses. We need to understand how our rural economy is impacted when changes like this happen and be looking for ways to support the sector through transition.
Another motion I was proud to advance was surrounding a Rural Home Infrastructure Upgrade Financing Program. Rural residents rely on private wells, septic systems, and backup power systems, which are essentials that can be very expensive when they fail or need upgrading. This motion asks staff to look at whether the Better Homes Ottawa program, or a new standalone rural program, could help homeowners finance these upgrades over time, including through a model that is financed and repaid through their property taxes. It also asks for better education and outreach so rural homeowners understand their options, including newer technologies that can improve resilience and reduce costs.
Taken together, these motions are about making sure rural Ottawa is not only recognized in City plans, but properly supported in City action. Whether it is helping our villages attract investment, making it easier for rural businesses to grow, supporting local agriculture and the equine sector, or helping homeowners plan for essential infrastructure, the goal is the same: practical solutions that reflect rural realities.
I will keep pushing to make sure the Rural Economic Development Plan does not just sit on a shelf. Rural Ottawa needs follow-through, regular reporting, and real problem-solving across City departments. Today was a strong step in that direction, and I’ll continue working to make sure it delivers results for our villages, farms, businesses, and rural families.
Read the agenda here:
English: https://pub-ottawa.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=cdf8164d-59fa-4e36-b16e-a8acf9ba16e3&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5LZomeKlhc&t=4569s
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Advancing Rural Priorities at ARAC
Latest Update: April 13, 2026
At the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meeting, we made progress on several issues that matter to Ward 20 and to rural residents across Ottawa.
The City tabled the response to my inquiry on low water advisories for private wells. Staff confirmed that while the City does not have the authority to impose restrictions on private well owners, it does play an active role in drought response through coordination with Conservation Authorities, public communication, and support for residents whose wells may be affected. The report also confirmed that a new rural groundwater monitoring program was approved through the 2026 Budget, which is an important step toward better long-term planning and climate resilience for communities like ours.
Committee also supported the renewal of the Ottawa Rural Clean Water Program for 2026 to 2030. This is a practical program that helps farmers and rural landowners protect surface water and groundwater through cost-shared projects such as erosion control, tree planting, wetland restoration, and well decommissioning. Over the last five years, Ward 20 alone saw 64 projects supported through this program, representing more than $220,000 in grants. This is exactly the kind of investment that strengthens rural stewardship while helping landowners respond to changing environmental conditions.
There was also good news for Ward 20 through the Rural Community-Building Grant Program. Funding was approved for the Osgoode Village Community Association to purchase a new video display system for the Osgoode Community Centre, and for the Metcalfe Farmers’ Market to install a permanent heritage sign, provide a shaded seating area for seniors, and improve signage for expanded market events. These are community-driven improvements that will make local spaces more welcoming, more functional, and more vibrant.
For rural residents more broadly, committee carried Councillor Brown’s revised motion directing staff to review the Rural Transit Area funding model and to examine the potential for private transit partnerships to improve connectivity between villages and hubs (like LRT stations). This motion does two things – it asks staff to outline how taxes collected from rural residents for transit services aligns with the bus services available within the rural area and to suggest adjustments to improve fairness. It also asks staff to explore the feasibility of complementing the OC Transpo service with private services. I heard loud and clear that the current bus service model isn’t working and that residents are not interested in paying more for more-of-the-same. Rather, options like on-demand, pay per ride, mini-bus services (like they have in North Grenville) should be explored to help fill gaps. If approved at Council, we should expect to have the data and options in 2027 to inform a discussion on next steps.
I was also pleased that committee carried my motion on excess soils. Rural communities know too well the impacts that large soil importation sites can have on local roads, drainage, dust, noise, and nearby residents. My motion asks staff to review how other municipalities oversee these sites, recommend how Ottawa can strengthen its own approach, and in the meantime bring forward a by-law amendment requiring the City and the local ward councillor to be notified when an excess soil reuse site is registered with the province.
I gave notice of a future motion asking staff to explore options for a Rural Home Infrastructure Upgrade Financing Program as part of the upcoming Better Homes Ottawa review. The goal is to examine whether similar financing tools could help rural homeowners pay for essentials: wells, septic systems, and permanently installed standby generators. For many rural families, these are not optional upgrades, but basic necessities tied directly to water security, public health, and resilience during extreme weather. The Better Homes Ottawa program currently provides loans that are repaid via your tax bill – which, in my view, is a great way to provide support to private property owners without straining the public purse.
Thank you to everyone who continues to speak up for rural Ottawa. This weeks meeting reflected the priorities I hear from residents across Ward 20: protecting private water supplies, supporting our villages and community organizations, improving accountability, and ensuring rural-led solutions for rural problems.