ARAC approves zoning for Battery Energy Storage System near Trail Landfill

The Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee today recommended approval of a zoning amendment to facilitate the establishment of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility and associated private utilities south of the Trail Waste Facility Landfill.

BESS are an emerging battery technology that can help make the electricity system more reliable by drawing and storing energy from the grid during off-peak hours, when demand is low, and discharging it back to the grid when needed. Today’s approval aligns with the City’s objective to enable the use of local renewable energy sources.

The planned facility, for which Council previously provided a Municipal Support Resolution, is on William McEwen Drive north of Brophy Drive. It would have 156 battery storage containers covering just over six hectares of the roughly 21-hectare lot. A substation and part of the transmission line are also proposed on the site.

The environmental impact study for this project shows there would be no net negative impacts to natural heritage features on the site. The zoning amendment also limits the size of the BESS facility, to further protect natural features and limit opportunities to expand in the future. The project will be subject to Site Plan Control prior to construction.

Committee recommends maintaining current urban boundary

The Committee recommended refusal of an Official Plan amendment application to expand the urban boundary by more than 230 hectares for future residential development. The application is for the South March expansion area, located south of Cameron Harvey Drive between Old Second Line Road and the former Beachburg Rail Corridor.

The proposal was assessed using the Council-approved process for urban boundary expansion applications, considering that there is already more than enough land within the urban boundary to accommodate growth in Ottawa. As of mid-2025, there is enough residential land supply in the urban area to accommodate almost 25 years of growth while provincial standards require only a 15-year supply of designated residential land and a three-year supply of serviced land. The proposed expansion lands lack system capacity for water and wastewater and would also require transportation infrastructure upgrades.

The City considers the current application premature and does not contemplate approving any urban expansion before a coordinated citywide review is completed. In response to the Province’s updated population projections for Ottawa, the City has initiated an update to its growth forecasts. A report on population, housing, and employment projections is anticipated in January, which will inform the City’s growth management strategy expected to come before committee in early 2027. The City intends to avoid piecemeal approvals and will assess future expansion needs comprehensively through this coordinated process once updated data is available.

Committee recommends approval of zoning amendment for farm-based businesses on Rideau Valley Drive

The Committee recommended approval of a zoning amendment that would bring the existing businesses at 6158 Rideau Valley Drive into compliance with the Zoning By-law. The property is located on prime agricultural lands and currently supports four businesses: a cash-crop and berry farm, a seasonal pick-your-own farm stand and retail store, a trucking and excavation business, and a snow removal business.