ZIBI

Located on both sides of the Ottawa River, Zibi represented an unusual opportunity to transform a neglected brownfield industrial site into a world-class, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use community. Through residential, commercial and communal developments, two Islands in Ontario and riverfront property in Quebec are being reanimated to bring new life and energy to this once bustling heart of Ottawa’s industrial sector.

The project design was fast-paced, with an aggressive planning application deadline set for five months after project kick-off. The project team met the deadline and produced all required deliverables within budget. The application was warmly received by both Ottawa and Gatineau City Planning departments and was approved unanimously by both City Councils in record time.

To gain alignment around sustainability and development principles, Urban Equation facilitated several working sessions with a wide-group of stakeholders, including First Nations groups and various government groups. Alongside creating the One Planet Living (OPL) action plan, Urban Equation led various triple bottom line feasibility studies to evaluate, using empirical data, performance targets established within the One Planet Living Action Plan. In particular, Urban Equation completed site-wide energy and water business models. This award-winning master plan has been endorsed as the only One Planet Living community in Canada, making Zibi one of the world’s greenest communities.