Ottawa city council voted Wednesday to press pause on implementing new municipal green-building standards.

The new rules had been set to take effect last summer, but were put on hold while the city waited for provincial signoff on its new official plan. After the province approved the plan in November 2022, city staff proposed that the standards come into force July 1, 2023.

Coun. David Hill put forward a motion at council on Wednesday to again push back the start date to allow city staff time to update their recommendation and proposed timeline based on new guidance they expect to come from the province. Coun. George Darouze seconded the motion.

Staff will wait to see how the More Homes for Everyone Act and the More Homes Built Faster Act will shift the policy landscape, in line with Ontario’s recent emphasis on growing the province’s housing supply.

“It feels like again we are being followers. Worse, it feels like we are falling far beyond other cities,” said Coun. Sean Devine.

“Here we are, with a vital opportunity to take action, and we are not taking a pause. We’re pumping the brakes.”

The City of Ottawa’s high performance development standard is based on regulations that have been on the books in Toronto for over a decade. It’s intended to help Ottawa reach its climate targets, since the city says roughly 46 per cent of emissions are tied to buildings.

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