Policy & Zoning | Parking Reform
Parking Reform and Missing Middle in Ottawa
Ottawa removed minimum parking requirements city-wide under Zoning By-law 2026-50. It is the least-discussed change in the new by-law and one of the most consequential: on a tight lot, the old parking minimum was often the rule that capped how many units you could fit.
Why It Matters for a Multiplex
It frees the yard
Every required stall used to claim driveway and side-yard space. Without a minimum, that area can go to the building, landscaping, or a fourth unit.
It cuts cost
On-site parking — especially anything underground or structured — is expensive per stall. Not being forced to build it improves whether a small multiplex pencils.
It fits narrow lots
On a tight Ottawa lot, the parking requirement was often the constraint that capped unit count. Remove it and the building, not the car, sets the limit.
City-Wide, Not Just Near Transit
Ontario's Bill 23 already removed parking minimums for residential development near major transit stations. Ottawa went broader: By-law 2026-50 removed the minimums across the whole city. For a missing middle multiplex on a residential street far from a station, that is the difference between being forced to surrender space to stalls and being free to put it into the building.
The Practical Read
No minimum does not mean no parking. It means you decide. On a lot where tenants will own cars, you still provide spaces; on a transit-served lot, you might provide few or none and put the land into units or yard. The point is that the by-law no longer makes that call for you — which is exactly what lets a fourplex fit where the old minimum would have held it to three units or fewer.
Best For
- ✓ Understanding why removing parking minimums is central to small-multiplex feasibility.
- ✓ Owners on narrow or tight lots where parking used to cap the unit count.
- ✓ Comparing Ottawa's city-wide reform to Bill 23's transit-only version.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ You read "no minimum" as "no parking allowed" — you can still build parking, you're just not required to.
- ✕ You ignore how tenants will actually travel — market demand still matters even without a rule.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → That your project's zone carries no minimum and how that interacts with any overlay.
- → Whether the units you're building will need parking in practice, regardless of the rule.
- → Access, driveway, and laneway standards that still apply even with no minimum count.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Ottawa remove parking minimums?
Do I need parking for a fourplex in Ottawa?
Is Ottawa's parking reform the same as Bill 23's?
Does removing parking minimums mean I can't provide parking?
Official Sources Referenced
Coming to Ottawa
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