The Planning Committee received the 2018 Annual Development Report, which includes a lot of good news for our city. Unemployment has dropped to just 4.6 per cent. The 6,300 retail jobs added in 2018 are helping support Ottawa’s growing population, which rose 1.3 per cent to 991,429 residents. The report shows that 557,600 residents are employed, with 176,000 of them working in the knowledge economy.
Housing affordability does continue to be a concern, and the proportion of apartment starts decreased to 34.7 per cent from 40.8 per cent the previous year. But there are positive signs too, with starts of all other housing types increasing. Many of the 6,950 new housing starts were in existing communities too, helping us surpass intensification targets.
Items approved at the Planning Committee meeting will go to Council on Wednesday, September 25.
