Robert Merkley (Merkley Building Supply Ltd.), Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Soula Burrell (GOHBA) and Jason Burggraaf (GOHBA) at GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, Saint Elias Banquet Centre, Jan 8, 2026.
On Jan. 8, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe joined the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) at the St. Elias Centre to ring in 2026 with a progress report on the city’s ambitious housing strategy. Addressing a sold-out room of builders and developers, Sutcliffe provided an update on the Housing Action Plan ‒ a 53-measure roadmap designed to transform Ottawa into Canada’s most housing-friendly city.
The Mayor highlighted that nearly half of the plan’s recommendations, including waiving certain development fees and streamlining approval processes, have already been implemented.
As the voice of the residential construction industry since 1951, GOHBA represents more than 400 companies supporting approximately 38,000 local jobs. Beyond advocacy, the association hosts the annual Housing Design Awards and promotes professional standards through the RenoMark program, which works with renovators who abide by a quality-driven code of conduct.
Michelle Taggart and Steve Parkes (co-presidents of Tamarack Homes and Tartan Homes) at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Mitch Miller (Ottawa Network for Education), Soula Burell (GOHBA), Russell Ullyatt (City of Ottawa) and David Hill (City Councillor) at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Cathy Mitchell (BMO), Cynthia Benoit (Capital Office Interiors) and Tracy Noble-Botting (Ottawa Network for Education) at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Saeideh Shabani (Remax), Adrienne Vienneau (Christie Lake Kids) and Reza Mashkoori (Christie Lake Kids) at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Bill & Michael Laurysen (Laurysen Kitchens) with Mark Arnold (Minto Communities) at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Alan Elmaleh and Sasirekha Velayutham from FX Innovation at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Jenny Chen (Catalais Consulting) and Dan MacMillan (BMO) at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Ottawa Councillor Tim Tierney with Pierre Dufresne (Cavanagh Communities) at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Adrienne Vienneau (Christie Lake Kids), Delphine Hasle (Perley Health Foundation), Susan Ingram (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa), Erin Helmer (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa) and Sara Cooper (Habitat for Humanity) at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026.Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Mayor Mark Sutcliffe addressing the crowd at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.GOHBA’s Soula Burell sharing a laugh with Mayor Sutcliffe as he addresses the crowd, at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Robert Merkley (Merkley Supply) sharing a laugh with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.Angie MacCrae (KOTi) with Soula Burrell at the GOHBA Breakfast with the Mayor, St. Elias Centre, Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson for OBJ.
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