Unlocking Public Land for Affordable Housing: Lessons from the Wateridge Village Mikinàk Project: Executive Summary

Abstract

Public land is one of Canada’s most underutilized tools for expanding affordable housing. While governments increasingly recognize its potential, transforming surplus federal properties into new homes requires far more than making land available. Success depends on effective governance, coordinated decision-making, aligned funding programs, and strong partnerships among governments and housing providers. Canada’s housing affordability crisis has renewed interest in surplus public land as a strategic asset for housing development. Recent federal initiatives, including the National Housing Strategy, the Federal Lands Initiative (FLI), the Canada Public Land Bank, and, more recently, Build Canada Homes, reflect an increasing commitment to using federal land to accelerate the delivery of affordable and non-market housing. As governments seek to scale up housing supply, understanding how public land moves from federal ownership to completed housing projects has become increasingly important. This case study examines the Mikinàk project, a 271-unit affordable housing development delivered by Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) within Wateridge Village on the former Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Rockcliffe in Ottawa, Ontario. More than a successful housing project, Mikinàk provides a practical example of how surplus federal land can be transformed into affordable housing through collaboration among multiple public institutions. The project brought together Canada Lands Company (CLC), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the City of Ottawa, and OCH, each operating under distinct mandates, governance structures, and accountability frameworks. Drawing on interviews with senior representatives from these organizations, supported by an extensive review of policy documents, project records, and planning materials, this study examines how institutional relationships, governance arrangements, funding mechanisms, and decision-making processes influenced project delivery. Rather than focusing solely on construction outcomes, the report seeks to identify practical lessons that can improve future affordable housing development on federal public lands.