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The Desk

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🏛 City HallOttawaArticle

Your city just permitted a single house for almost $2 million.

Your city's building boom, one house costs *how* much?

Okay, so I was looking through the latest building permits issued by the city, you know, the stuff that went through all the levels of approval, and one number just... *popped* for me. Permit #BP 9NEW 25-9888 for a single-storey detached dwelling at 56 Inglewood Drive in Ward 1? That build cost is listed at $1,910,124. For *one* house. C’est incroyable!

It’s a clear signal of the kind of residential development we’re seeing, especially in certain wards. While there's a big commercial renovation for Co-operators Insurance on Standish Court (Ward 5) at $1.9 million, that Inglewood home price really stands out because it’s a single-family residence. That's a significant investment in one property, a sign of where housing values are going and what kind of projects are getting the green light. We also saw smaller residential permits, like the $75,660 addition above a garage in Ward 5, but nothing close to Inglewood.

The real story here, though, is never on the Hill – it’s always just off it. We're also tracking new applications, like the proposed residential apartment building at 1970 and 1980 Fowler Drive in Ward 8. This contrast – multi-unit housing applications versus single-home permits topping seven figures – shows the ongoing tension in Ottawa's housing market. What type of homes are we actually building for the people who live here?

Simone Okafor-Bouchard, @offthehill_ott.

You know, the morning crew talks about what these numbers *actually* mean for your commute. Catch them mornings.live.

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