Statement on the Redevelopment of 110 O’Connor

The Ottawa Board of Trade welcomes the redevelopment of 110 O’Connor as a critical step in the transformation of downtown Ottawa. This project aligns with our Downtown Ottawa Action Plan, which calls for increasing residential density and building a people-centered urban core.

Transforming former office buildings into housing—including affordable housing and mixed-use developments like business, recreation centres, and innovation hubs—supports a more vibrant, 24/7 downtown economy. Housing revitalization in the core contributes to economic resilience, public safety, and business recovery, especially for small and local enterprises who have been negatively impacted by the downtown core’s adoption of hybrid work.

We commend Groupe Mach for its investment and vision in recognizing downtown Ottawa as a future-forward residential destination. The Ottawa Board of Trade urges the federal government to prioritize the release of downtown surplus federal office assets for conversion into housing opportunities. Ottawa’s downtown must evolve into a place where people live, work, learn, create, and connect—this project is a strong move in that direction.