Ottawa brings zoning, utilities and infrastructure plans into one digital twin

Ottawa combined zoning, utility and infrastructure planning information in one 3D city model. The shared view brings proposed development, underground pipelines and transit timelines together and is also accessible to residents.

Planners and infrastructure managers can see potential conflicts before construction begins. Residents can examine proposed neighborhood changes in the same spatial context, making growth decisions more transparent.

Ottawa has brought zoning maps, utility lines and infrastructure plans into a single 3D model of the city, according to an Esri video article. Proposed developments, buried pipelines and transit timelines can appear in the same view, making their relationships visible before construction begins. Residents can access that same view to understand how a project would change their neighborhood. The significance is the shared planning context: development proposals can be considered alongside underground assets and infrastructure schedules, rather than viewed in isolation. For city planners and infrastructure managers, this supports earlier identification of conflicts; for residents, it makes decisions about growth, housing and risk more visible. The brief vendor account does not specify implementation details, data update frequency or measured outcomes, so it supports a coordination and transparency signal rather than a demonstrated performance gain.

Evidence supplied by Esri Blog.