Ottawa Safeguards 561 Hectares of Wetland Near Tewin Development, Preserving Key Ecological Habitat

The City of Ottawa recently designated 561 hectares of land near the planned Tewin suburb as a provincially significant wetland, safeguarding it from any future development. This newly protected area, located just east of Highway 417, comprises swamps and marshlands important to the region’s ecology.

This protection marks one of the largest wetland designations Ottawa has made in recent years. Owned primarily by the Algonquins of Ontario, who bought the land in 2020, the group and its partner, Taggart Group, had intended to create a “natural heritage trust” to conserve the area. Their development plans nearby aim to build homes for up to 45,000 people without encroaching on the protected land.

The recent evaluation of the South Bear Brook wetland affirmed its ecological value, with the wetland scoring highly even under Ontario’s new, stricter scoring system for environmental protection. Nick Stow, the head of Ottawa’s environmental planning team, noted the wetland’s extensive size and its critical role in the watershed, underscoring the necessity of protecting it.

Additionally, the area is home to five provincially significant species, as well as nesting sites for great blue herons. This protection contrasts sharply with a recent decision where 55 hectares of wetland near Stittsville were downgraded from their provincial status, reflecting a shift in Ontario’s re-evaluation criteria that can allow for environmental status changes.

The Tewin wetland designation highlights a different scenario compared to other recent cases of wetland downgrades. Unlike those cases, where private interests requested re-evaluation, the South Bear Brook wetland’s protection came from a fresh assessment requested by the city itself.

Initially, the city had identified over 1,000 hectares of wetland for evaluation, but when new rules were introduced in 2023, the city had to reassess under these updated criteria, resulting in the protection of 561 hectares. The protected wetlands fall outside the proposed Tewin development zone, which contains only smaller, non-significant wetland areas that would require additional permits for any alterations.

The designation follows a long process of studies and evaluations initiated after Ottawa’s city council approved the Tewin project in 2021. While the proposed development area was originally larger, it included sections of natural land to the east deemed unsuitable for development due to its environmental value.

Stow emphasized that Ottawa faces challenges in wetland assessments due to limited resources, which restrict evaluations unless there’s an immediate development need. Many wetlands in Ottawa remain unevaluated due to the high costs and time requirements, further complicating efforts to protect sensitive ecosystems across the city.

The Algonquins of Ontario have expressed support for the protection, with Executive Director Jim Meness noting that they recognized the ecological importance of these wetlands from the outset and had aimed to acquire the land partly for conservation.

The Ministry of Natural Resources updated the official maps in January to reflect the protected status, and the City of Ottawa is set to adjust the zoning to align with this designation by early 2025. This coordinated approach between the Algonquins, the city, and provincial authorities underscores a commitment to balancing development with ecological preservation.