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LeBreton Flats offers a unique opportunity to create an exciting destination and a dynamic new community in the heart of the Capital.

The NCC has embarked on a process to create a renewed vision for a dynamic Capital destination and a complete community where people can live, work and play. The preliminary Master Concept Plan for LeBreton Flats is based on early input from the public and key stakeholders.

Preliminary Master Concept Plan

On January 23, 2020, the NCC Board of Directors approved the preliminary Master Concept Plan for LeBreton Flats.

The approved preliminary Master Concept Plan envisions a place that is pedestrian-friendly, surrounded by lively and active parks and plazas, including the dynamic Aqueduct District, the Ottawa riverfront and a large destination park. A future diverse residential community will be supported by retail and employment opportunities, capitalizing on direct access to two light rail transit (LRT) stations.

The plan is based on input from the public gathered through two public consultations.


Public advisory group

The NCC has established a public advisory group, which held its first meeting in September 2020. The members of this group will give the NCC continuous input related to their areas of expertise:

  • affordable housing
  • health and well-being
  • culture and tourism
  • heritage, construction and labour
  • active transportation
  • the local community and businesses

This will help ensure social, environmental and economic benefits throughout the project.

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Project Overview

Public input has informed the creation of a new LeBreton Flats preliminary Master Concept Plan, which outlines a cohesive vision for the 29-hectare site. The site is anchored by two new LRT stations at Pimisi and Bayview, aqueduct water features, and Nepean Inlet, with access to the Ottawa River.

This plan will guide the implementation of the project in a strategically phased approach over the coming decades. The Master Concept Plan will ensure an ambitious, cohesive and feasible vision to create a dynamic community and Capital destination.

Click to enlarge map.

Guiding Principles

The NCC revised the guiding principles based on public input received in June 2019. Here are the updated guiding principles on which the project objectives will be based.

Enhance the Capital Experience
Reflect the national significance of LeBreton Flats by creating an ambitious new Capital destination that celebrates Canada.
Build Community
Create an inclusive place where anyone can live, work and play. Provide for facilities, services and public spaces that are active, lively and flexible and that contribute to community health and well-being.
Value Nature
Prioritize the importance of the environment through design that restores, enhances and protects the natural features of the site, and provides greater accessibility to waterways. Utilize green infrastructure, promote biodiversity and create new green spaces.
Create Connections
Connect people and place by creating interactive public spaces and linking to amenities and surrounding communities. Build on access to LRT, and establish active transportation networks using a Vision Zero approach.
Foster Sustainability and Innovation
Embed a culture of excellence throughout the life cycle of the project, and provide opportunities for innovation in design and sustainability. Build in climate mitigation and resiliency measures to aim to achieve a zero carbon community.
Honour the Past
Honour and interpret the role LeBreton Flats has played as a place of significance for Indigenous peoples and in the development of the Capital, and connect this story to the site’s future. Recognize the lasting effects of important milestones such as the community’s expropriation.
Make It Happen
Ground the vision in a strategic implementation approach supported by market feasibility. Consult with the public and collaborate with partners to support timely progress and generate social, environmental and economic returns.

Process and Timeline

The Building LeBreton project was launched in March 2019 and is ongoing. In January 2020, the NCC Board of Directors approved the preliminary Master Concept Plan, enabling the NCC to move forward with implementation planning, technical studies and municipal applications.

The Building LeBreton project was launched following the cancellation of the previous LeBreton redevelopment project.
The first public consultation on the Building LeBreton project was held from June 18 to July 2.

Outreach to key stakeholders is ongoing, including arts, culture and heritage groups, affordable housing providers and advocates, home builders, institutions and other community groups.

Following a competitive process, the NCC hired a team of experts led by 02 Planning + Design. 02 launched an integrated design process informed by input from the public consultation.
A second public consultation on the draft Master Concept Plan was held November 21 to December 6.
On January 23, 2020, the NCC Board of Directors approved the preliminary Master Concept Plan for LeBreton Flats.

The NCC will develop remaining strategies for the final Master Concept Plan.

The City of Ottawa is expected to consider an application to amend the Official Plan to implement the policies in the LeBreton Flats Master Concept Plan.

The NCC plans to launch a call for proposals to develop a section of LeBreton Flats adjacent to the future Ottawa Public Library–Library and Archives Canada joint facility as part of an existing Library Parcel vision.

The final LeBreton Flats Master Concept Plan will be considered for approval by the NCC’s Board of Directors in the winter of 2020–2021.

A World-Class Project

The Building LeBreton project will build on past experience and global best practices to create a lively fusion of world-class public-realm amenities with residential, commercial, cultural and social elements.

Here are some other cities we are looking to for inspiration:

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History of LeBreton Flats

The NCC became custodian of LeBreton Flats in the early 1960s. This site, located just 1.5 kilometres west of the Capital’s Parliamentary Precinct and central business district, is steeped in Canada’s history.

A look at the history and regional context of an evolving space within Canada's Capital Region.
Launch the Interactive Map

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Memories of LeBreton Flats

Documents