The National Capital Commission (NCC) is the federal Crown corporation responsible for planning, stewardship, and development of federally owned lands and public spaces in Canada’s Capital Region. Based in Ottawa–Gatineau, the NCC oversees nationally significant assets and works to support the long-term development, conservation, and public use of the capital.
There has been a consistent thread of civic and community-focused work throughout your career. What first sparked your interest in that area?
I've been interested in public service, really since university.
I started in the Canadian Foreign Service and was posted abroad in different places. Living and working overseas, seeing some of the world's great cities and thinking, "These are great cities. I want my city to look like that," was a real motivator. It led me to take a leave of absence from the Foreign Service, run for civic office and serve on Ottawa City Council. That shifted my focus from international issues to city-building, but the thread of public service remained the same.
Many cities around the world have spent the past few decades rethinking how public space, transportation and waterfronts contribute to quality of life. Looking at those examples, what lessons stand out for Ottawa as it continues to evolve?
The biggest lesson is the importance of public space and creating places where people can sit, relax, meet friends, attend events and spend time. I was also struck by how many cities have reconnected with their waterfronts. Historically, rivers, lakes and shorelines were often treated as industrial spaces, but over the last few decades, many cities have transformed them into public amenities. Beyond that, I saw valuable examples in public transit, architecture, cycling infrastructure, pedestrianization and housing.
The cities I find most interesting are the Nordic capitals. Copenhagen is often cited, but what Oslo has accomplished over the last 20 years is remarkable: pedestrianizing the downtown core, burying highways, creating cultural institutions and activating the waterfront. Stockholm is another strong example, as are Swiss cities such as Zurich. Paris has also rethought air quality, car traffic and cycling infrastructure. What these cities have in common is a focus on building cities for people rather than cars and maximizing livability.
How do you define the role of the National Capital Commission today, and what part does it play in shaping the long-term development of the capital region?
Our tagline is "building an inspiring capital," and that captures our purpose. We want Canadians and visitors to arrive in the capital and feel a sense of how it reflects the country at large.
From the aesthetics of the capital to how it functions, we want to demonstrate leadership. At a practical level, that role spans housing, real estate, development, park stewardship, pathways and public spaces. One example is sustainability. Several years ago, we made climate action a corporate objective and became the first jurisdiction in Canada to ban small handheld gas-powered tools. More recently, we transformed a historic boathouse into the NCC River House, creating shoreline access, swim docks, seating and a café.
How are climate considerations changing the way the NCC approaches stewardship and long-term planning?
One example is our commitment to building zero-carbon buildings. We built one of the first zero-carbon buildings owned by the broader federal government and have since opened several more.
Another major area is mobility. We continue expanding our cycling network and run Weekend Bike Days to encourage cycling and walking. Conservation is also a significant focus. We manage hundreds of square kilometres of green space, conduct biological and climate research, and acquire ecological corridors that improve species movement. Broadly, our focus falls into three areas: buildings, mobility and green space.
Organizations like the NCC are sometimes perceived as opaque, slow-moving or overly cautious. What do you think people most often misunderstand about the role of the NCC?
When you've existed for 127 years, perceptions can become deeply ingrained. Our predecessor organizations were established in 1899, and some of the criticisms written in the early 1900s could easily have been written a century later. There was often a sense that the NCC was simply another layer of bureaucracy.
Over the last 15 years, we've worked to become more open. Board meetings were made public, and the mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau became non-voting members of our board. We've also tried to become a more thoughtful risk-taking organization. After the success of the NCC River House, we opened a swimming dock at Dow's Lake on the Rideau Canal. More than 100,000 people visited the site last summer, demonstrating the value of being willing to try new ideas.
As you push projects forward more quickly and encourage calculated risk-taking, what practical barriers still stand in the way of progress?
Risk aversion is deeply embedded throughout society and often manifests through standards and approval processes. When you open a public asset, engineers and other professionals need to sign off on safety, and there is often little incentive to accept any level of risk because they may ultimately be held responsible if something goes wrong.
The Rideau Canal Skateway is a good example. We used to have a blanket rule requiring 30 centimetres of solid ice before opening. At one point, we started asking whether that was always necessary. Could there be circumstances where less than 30 centimetres was still safe? Could lighter vehicles be used for maintenance instead of heavier trucks? The goal wasn't to compromise safety, but to challenge assumptions and find more efficient ways to maximize public use. The same principle applies to development and housing.
Looking ahead over the next decade, what does the capital region need to get right to strengthen its ability to attract talent and investment?
The most important role we can play is making the capital a more dynamic, vibrant and livable city. That means continuing to create places where people want to spend time.
About seven years ago, we began working with private-sector restaurateurs to create seasonal bistros on NCC sites. The goal was to give people reasons to stay, eat and enjoy public spaces. The idea of third places is hugely important. In a society increasingly segregated by income and wealth, free public spaces matter because they allow people from different backgrounds to mix. We also have a responsibility to support priorities such as affordable housing. At LeBreton Flats, we've established a target of 25% affordable housing, which I believe is the most ambitious affordable housing target in the history of the capital region.
Ultimately, talent attraction is about more than jobs. It's about creating a city where people want to live, raise a family and build a future.
