Transform Transit Hubs into Community Hubs

Priority: Transform transit hubs (Light Rail Train and major bus stations) into Community Hubs that connect people to the places they live and need to go. This implies a shift from the current commuter orientation of transit decision-making to a community-centred approach to connecting people, housing and active transportation networks.

Policy Actions:

• Divert public land around transit stations into community land trusts with a mandate to support mixed use and deeply affordable housing. Fund the trusts through public land swaps and by capturing through taxes and development charges a reasonable portion of the higher land value created by public investment in transit.

• Pilot a Community Hub at Pimsi station with 70% of units managed as deeply affordable and/or intentional housing communities (co-housing, coop housing), funded in partnership with CMHC.

• Mandate buildings around transit stations to include 70% housing and 30% mixed use (including co-working spaces, grocery, cafes, libraries, child care, health care, public washrooms and public seating). Ensure that 40% of the housing units are deeply affordable.

• Link cycling and pedestrian pathways to all-season transit stations, with secure bike racks, ready access to bike-share and drop-off spaces for autonomous vehicles, taxis, and other collective modes of transportation. Allow parking underground but makes sure the terminus of a transit station is both walkable and pedestrian friendly.

• Implement city-wide cycling and pedestrian networks connected to public transit that better prioritize pedestrians, cyclists and public transit riders of all abilities.

• Better connect lower-income neighbourhoods to existing cycling, pedestrian and transit networks.

• Establish Class A maintenance standards for winter maintenance of sidewalks and other modes of active transportation.

• Create new infrastructure to better connect active transportation options between Ottawa and Gatineau.

Linkages with other priorities: The transformation of transit stations into community hubs that connect people to the places they live and need to go links directly with efforts to improve the reach, affordability and reliability of a clean-technology public transportation system to reduce car use (see Transportation table discussions). Steps taken to create walkable and connected neighbourhoods are also key to reducing the impact of the transportation system on GHG emissions (see 15 minute neighbourhoods table discussion).