Catherine McKenney
The National Capital Commission (NCC) is in the process of redeveloping LeBreton Flats, a largely underused 29-hectare site in a rapidly growing area. The NCC’s master plan presents an impressive mixed-use community with residential districts, integrated commercial spaces, extensive public greenspace, and a focus on pedestrian-friendly design.
The plans for LeBreton Flats are ambitious and include many positive aspects. However, they do not mandate overarching community benefits such as affordable housing, ensuring access to community resources and services like child care and health centres, and a commitment to fostering local commercial and social enterprise.
One way to formalize a commitment to the community’s wants and needs is implementing a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). A CBA is a legally binding agreement with clear monitoring and enforcement mechanisms between a developer or government organization and community groups. A CBA would legally require developers to take community interests into account and include important amenities in their plans. The redevelopment of LeBreton Flats is a rare opportunity to build an equitable, sustainable, and inclusive community from the ground up. Certain social, recreational, and community priorities must be guaranteed in order for this site to reach its full potential and create a complete community.
LeBreton Flats’ history and location make it an opportune site for a CBA. This large site was once home to a working-class community with residential neighbours and a successful industrial sector. The redevelopment of this land should honour this thriving community through the creation of a new downtown neighbourhood that welcomes a diverse population in a supportive environment.
The LeBreton Flats Community Benefits Coalition is a group of 27 community organizations who are pushing for the NCC to adapt a CBA as the social framework for the area’s development. The coalition and residents across the city believe that the best path forward for the redevelopment of LeBreton Flats involves engaging the local community and integrating the visions for the future into each phase of development.
In July, I brought a motion to council in support of a Community Benefits Agreement at LeBreton Flats (www.catherinemckenney.ca/s/LeBreton-Flats-CBA-motion.pdf). The motion outlines the city’s role in securing community benefits and the action we can take to work with the NCC on implementing a CBA. The motion was carried by council and demonstrates that members of council endorse the principles behind a CBA for LeBreton Flats.
The city can now engage on this topic with the NCC and federal ministers to address funding support and other opportunities to ensure this development benefits current and future residents. While the city does not have the power to mandate a CBA for LeBreton Flats, the passing of my motion shows our commitment to create a vibrant downtown community that contributes positively to the surrounding area and the city.
You can find out more about the plans for a Community Benefits Agreement at LeBreton Flats at: cbaforlebretonflats.ca