Ottawa seeking provincial intervention to stop Kanata golf development

Nearly 10 months after the Supreme Court declined to hear the city’s appeal over a Kanata housing development, Ottawa city council will now ask the province to intervene.

Ottawa seeking provincial intervention to stop Kanata golf development Province could override bylaws or change legislation Nearly 10 months after the Supreme Court declined to hear the city’s appeal over a Kanata housing development, Ottawa city council will now ask the province to intervene. Kanata Golf and Country Club owner ClubLink, alongside developer Minto Homes, are building 1,480 housing units in the former course despite a 1981 legal agreement requiring the property owner to protect 40 per cent of the space. It's upsetting many homeowners who said they thought that agreement would be honoured, but key provisions of the agreement were found to be void and unenforceable.

The motion from Kanata North Coun. Cathy Curry pushes the provincial government to step in using special legislation or tools in its Planning Act, which could include a minister’s zoning order (MZO) — essentially overriding municipal by-laws and changing how the land is used. The motion was passed 23 to 2 on Wednesday evening with little discussion.

“We’ve just had a major flood that proves we need more green space for stormwater,” Curry said after Wednesday's council meeting. “We aren’t trying to save a golf course, we are trying to keep the park that was promised to the community.” The Kanata case has been in and out of courtrooms for about five years.

Supreme Court won't hear Ottawa's appeal in Kanata golf course case Council vows to keep fighting development of Kanata golf club In September 2025, Premier Doug Ford both expressed his support for Sutcliffe in the battle against the development, and said he agreed with the court’s decision. "They have to work things out ... between the developer and the municipality,” Ford said last year. That was what happened in a 2021 case where ClubLink planned to develop around 3,000 homes on its Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, which was eventually overturned by then-housing minister Steve Clark.

At the time, Clark said a resolution was reached through direct communication with ClubLink, rather than using legislation or an MZO.