Frequently Asked Questions

Tewin is envisioned as a compact, sustainable, connected and complete 15-minute community founded on Algonquin values and design principles. Tewin will be a model for healthy, innovative, integrated and nature-based community planning and design. The new Tewin community is planned to include:

  • Approximately 35,000 to 45,000 residents and thousands more jobs
  • A mix of uses, including residential, retail, commercial and community uses, such as schools, parks, recreation centres, cultural spaces and community health facilities
  • The provision of transit from Day 1, with higher-order transit delivered over time as the community grows
  • Substantial natural areas and green spaces woven directly into the community, and the creation of an adjacent 600-hectare Natural Land Trust
  • A diversity of housing options, including apartments, townhouses and single-family homes, to help meet the diverse housing needs of future residents

The Algonquins of Ontario (AOO), along with their partner Taggart Group, are major landowners of the Tewin lands. The Tewin lands are situated within the unceded Algonquins of Ontario Settlement Area, an area that encompasses most of Eastern Ontario and the City of Ottawa. As holders of Aboriginal rights and title, the Algonquins are the original stewards of the land and its resources.

Algonquins have lived in present-day Ontario since thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Today, the AOO are comprised of 10 Algonquin communities. These include:

  • Antoine
  • Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation
  • Bonnechere
  • Greater Golden Lake
  • Kijicho Manito Madaouskarini (Bancroft)
  • Mattawa/North Bay
  • Ottawa
  • Shabot Obaadjiwan (Sharbot Lake)
  • Snimikobi (Ardoch)
  • Whitney and Area

The 10 communities are represented by 16 Algonquin Nation Representatives (ANRs) who are elected by Algonquin voters for three-year terms. The ANRs include the Chief and Council of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation and one representative from each of the nine other Algonquin communities.

Based on a Protocol signed in 2004, these communities are working together to provide a unified approach to reach a settlement of the Algonquin land claim.

“For centuries of European settlement, the Algonquins had become invisible in our own land and precluded, in one way or another, from fully participating in the economic and social life in Canada. Tewin reminds us that we are home in our Traditional Territory and assures us that we can rebuild our meaningful presence on these lands and within the social fabric of this city.” – Pikwakanagan First Nation Chief Wendy Jocko

More information about the Algonquins of Ontario can be found at https://www.tanakiwin.com/

The Taggart Group is an Ottawa-based, family-run company which has been building homes in Ottawa since the early 1940s. Taggart Construction was founded by Harold Taggart in 1948, and over the years the business has grown to add new companies and expand its scope of services. Today, the Taggart Group of Companies delivers expertise and leadership in real estate development, planning, design, finance, construction, and management.

“We are starting from scratch, learning from the past, and planning for the future. We will build a dense, connected, sustainable community that will be planned around a future transit system rather than trying to fit transit in after the community is built.” – Michelle Taggart, Vice-President of Land Development at Taggart

More information on the Taggart Group can be found at https://www.taggartgroup.ca/

The community planning and design process for Tewin is proposed to advance through an integrated Master Planning and Environmental Assessment process, underpinned by public consultation and engagement with the Algonquin people and other stakeholders.

A comprehensive planning process will be initiated in early 2022. It will include initial engagement with the local Carlsbad area community and other key stakeholders, the identification of guiding planning and design principles, the development of a community concept plan, and the preparation of a Community Design Plan and a range of supporting technical studies. The process will allow for numerous opportunities for community consultation and engagement, including during the early visioning stage, during concept development, and prior to identifying a preferred concept plan.

The process, which is expected to take approximately two to three years, will result in a Secondary Plan for Tewin, which will require approval by City Council and will direct future development of this new community.

The One Planet Living framework is a globally recognized sustainability framework which seeks to deliver comprehensive and embedded sustainability and resilience. One Planet Living is a vision of a world where all people live happy and healthy lives within the ecological limits of our one planet. Comprised of 10 holistic principles that address all aspects of environmental, social and economic sustainability, the One Planet Living framework is well aligned with Algonquin values, teachings and aspirations.

As the first new suburban community that will be planned and endorsed within the One Planet Living framework, Tewin will become a best-in-class example of sustainable community development. Tewin will also make Ottawa the only city in North America with two One Planet Living-endorsed communities – with Zibi being the first – elevating Ottawa’s stature as a global leader in sustainable community design.  

Developing a new community from the ground up will take time. With the recent adoption of a new Official Plan by City Council and the addition of 445 hectares of land into the urban boundary to support the creation of Tewin, our team can now get started on the studies and consultation needed to advance the planning process. The master planning, community design and environmental assessment process is expected to take approximately two to three years to complete.

After that, more time will be needed to initiate the land development process, including detailed design for individual buildings, blocks and areas of the community. Formal development applications will need to be submitted to the City to initiate the development approvals process. The first homes within Tewin are anticipated to be ready in about five years, with the build-out of the community continuing over many years to come.

As development of Tewin takes place over the longer term, nearby residents can expect to see construction of new streets, homes and buildings, as well as the installation of new infrastructure such as sewers, water pipes, fire hydrants, street lighting, and other services. Various community facilities and amenities will also be developed, including schools, libraries, recreation centres, public parks, green spaces, retail, restaurants, daycares, and cultural spaces. Nearby residents will be able to use these and other community facilities once they are completed.

There are a number of ways to stay involved. You will be able to learn more about the project and share your thoughts and feedback through various community meetings, website updates, e-newsletters, social media updates, or by contacting the project team directly. The best way to stay involved is to sign up to receive project updates, which you can do by clicking here.