Coronation Woods has lost its Environmental Protection Status?
Some very important decisions on the future fate of public greenspace are happening right now (December 2025) without appropriate public consultation.
These changes are being made under the guise of the Zoning By-law review as dictated by the Official Plan, but some changes are questionable and deserve more scrutiny, public engagement and transparency.
It is especially problematic as these changes were NOT implemented in the First draft of the zoning by-law but rather in subsequent drafts.. You can read about changes related to NCC land here.
Ready to Take Action? Use our templates to draft an email to Councillor Marty Carr and the city’s urban planners.
The History of Coronation Woods
In the Greenspace Master Plan, Coronation Woods is considered to be a Primary land and a significant woodlot.
This is Map 1 from the Greenspace Master Plan. Dark Green representation “Primary” lands which should be protected from development.
In the current zoning, Coronation Woods is designated with Environmental Protection while the much smaller area of Coronation Park bordering the woods is given an REC designation. In Draft 1 of the Zoning Bylaw, you see these designations still exist. There are 3 adjacent zones: Greenspace (GRN) above the park, EP where the woods are located and REC1 sandwiched in-between.
Draft 1 of the Zoning Bylaw - the pink circles represent the 3 areas that were originally designated at EP (Environmental Protection). Coronation Woods is the topmost circle
But by Draft 3, the EP is removed from Coronation woods and Coronation Park and Coronation Woods are both zoned as REC1. While some of the REC1 is rezoned FAC (bright green), and the GRN is rezoned FAC.
Draft 3 of the Zoning By-law. Notice how only the top circle (coronation woods has lost its EP designation)
City staff propose this was merely following the Official Plan. When pushed further, they state that when creating the Secondary Plan (in 2021) the Coronation Park + Wood area was all listed as “park” to simplify zoning. This blanket rewriting of the zones was never brought to the public nor any of the local community groups that take care of that park. Staff also state that the woods would still be protected by the Tree Protection By-Law, residents are not convinced these woods are “safe”.
Why does Zoning Designation Matter?
A REC1 designation does not adequately protect this important forest, one of the few that exist in this community of Riverview Park in the Alta Vista Ward. This community also has one of the lowest tree canopy coverages in Alta Vista.
While commercial and residential developments are not allowed in REC1 zones, there remain a HUGE list of recreational facilities that COULD still be developed on this area that would significantly impact and possibly damage this significant woodlot.
In contrast, a GRN or FAC designation will more dramatically preserve this space.
While the city has claimed that residents don’t need to worry, because these proposed changes do not immediately allow development to occur. And attempt to placate residents by stating that any future development plans would still need to be brought forth to the city. Many residents in this community and the surrounding areas feel that these changes move the goal post much too far. Given the lack of transparency during this current zoning bylaw process and the secondary plan, many are skeptical of the city’s ability or intent to adequately and honestly inform Ottawa citizens about development plans.
Residents are asking the city to either restore the Woods EP designation (which would align with all the other Primary woodlands in Alta Vista) or at least rezone it to FAC or GRN)