Canada’s long-overdue high-speed rail plan is finally real. The Quebec City–Toronto corridor—a major federal infrastructure project—has secured funding, with stops in Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City. Trains will travel up to 300 km/h, cutting travel time from Toronto to Ottawa to just over an hour.
It’s a game-changer.
And it makes something else clear: Ottawa is now the most viable place in Ontario to build new homes outside the GTA.
This isn’t speculation anymore. The capital city already has the density, jobs, and regional appeal. Now it has the connectivity too.
✅ The First City With a Green Check Mark
At Square Footage, we’ve argued Ontario needs to build at least 100,000 new homes in each of 9 strategically selected cities. Plus we argue that the population in smaller towns across the province needs to double. But we’ve also said it won’t happen unless the province connects these cities to Toronto with rapid rail and infrastructure support.
Well—Ottawa just got the train.
This gives the city:
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🚄 High-speed rail to Toronto and Montreal
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🏛️ Stable public sector employment
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🏙️ Urban and suburban land available for expansion
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💼 A growing tech, health, and university sector
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🏗️ Infrastructure already in place to handle growth
If any Ontario city can absorb 100,000+ new homes quickly—it’s Ottawa.
From National Capital to Housing Capital
Ottawa’s metro population is nearing 1.5 million, yet the city still has significant underutilized land in places like Barrhaven, Orléans, Kanata North, and the Ottawa River corridor.
Add smart zoning reform, modular construction, and incentives for builders—and Ottawa could easily lead the charge in meeting Ontario’s 1.5 million-home target.
It also stands to become the example for every other Ontario city: a well-connected, non-GTA hub that shows what’s possible when you match infrastructure with ambition.
🏗️ Ontario Has a Target — We Have a Blueprint
The Province of Ontario has set a goal to build 1.5 million homes across the province by 2031. Ottawa is already part of that target, with the capital expected to absorb 150,000 new homes — through a mix of intensification, suburban expansion, and infill.
But GTA Weekly’s plan takes the concept further.
Instead of cramming that 1.5 million into the same overburdened regions, we propose a province-wide housing strategy built around 24 high-speed rail (HSR) stations. Each station becomes a growth hub — including Ottawa — allowing us to spread homes, jobs, and people more evenly while maintaining rapid transit access to Toronto and beyond.
That’s not just smart planning.
That’s Ontario rebuilt.
It’s Time for the City to Step Up
With the rail line confirmed, now the question becomes: Will Ottawa’s city council, builders, and planning department act with urgency?
This is their moment. Ottawa should:
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🚧 Launch a 10-year “Capital Growth Zone” plan
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🏘️ Fast-track approvals for family housing near transit lines
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🏢 Incentivize mid-rise mixed-use corridors in suburban centres
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🌳 Ensure development protects greenspace while adding density
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🏫 Plan for schools, healthcare, and services alongside homes
Toronto cannot handle all of Ontario’s growth. But Ottawa, with its new direct link to the 416, can absolutely help.
🛤️ Seamless Rail Connections Mean Citywide Housing Access
The high-speed rail station in Ottawa will be located at the existing Ottawa Train Station on Tremblay Road, just 4 km from downtown. Critically, it’s directly connected to Tremblay O-Train station, part of the city’s LRT network.
That means a resident living in Kanata, Orléans, Barrhaven, or even further out can hop on the LRT and get to the HSR line in minutes.
This kind of intra-city connectivity—LRT to HSR to Toronto or Montreal—gives Ottawa a clear logistical advantage. Unlike other cities still debating how to integrate transit with future housing, Ottawa already has the infrastructure in place.
It just needs the homes.
Frankly, Ottawa could absorb far more than 100,000 new homes over the next decade. But as part of our 24-city plan, we’ll consider it a success when the first 100,000 are built — with a direct line to Toronto, and transit-ready communities across the capital.
Final Word: One Down, Twenty-Three to Go
With high-speed rail on the way, Ottawa is officially the first confirmed city in Ontario’s future housing map. It checks every box.
And if we’re serious about building the province—not just the GTA—this is where it starts.
Let’s move faster, bolder, and smarter—because Ottawa is ready.
📐 Square Footage is GTA Weekly’s weekly real estate editorial—tracking how design, density and development are shaping our neighbourhoods—and now, our province. Follow us @GTAWeeklyNews for more on the future of housing. #GTAToday #GTAWeekly #SquareFootage
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