Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) Chair Cam Guthrie’s Statement on the
provincial government’s response to municipal concerns regarding Bill 23, More
Homes Built Faster Act, 2022
On behalf of Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM), we would like to thank the province for
responding to our concerns regarding Bill 23 and Bill 109. Minister Clark has written to
OBCM acknowledging that “it is critical that municipalities are able to fund and contract
road, water, sewer, and other housing enabling infrastructure and services that our
growing communities need.” The government’s commitment “to ensuring municipalities
are kept whole for any impact to their ability to fund housing enabling infrastructure
because of Bill 23,” is a positive step forward.
Our Caucus will be meeting this week to discuss these matters further. As much as we
thank the government for arriving at this point of understanding on these significant
impacts, we wish to respectively remind the government that we have always made
ourselves available to work alongside the province and other stakeholders on changes
required to build the homes Ontario needs. As we move through these next days and
weeks, let us unite in partnership. New legislation, processes, and changes required to
build new homes will come about more quickly for our residents and new immigrants if
we work together. Premier Ford often talks about a Team Ontario approach. OBCM
believes the same. Ontarians are looking for us to work together, and OBCM will
continue to be ready to make it happen.
About Ontario’s Big City Mayors
Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM), formerly known as the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus
of Ontario, includes mayors of 29 single and lower-tier cities with a population of
100,000 or more, who collectively represent nearly 70 per cent of Ontario’s population.
OBCM advocates for issues and policies important to Ontario’s largest cities
Media Contacts
Mayor Cam Guthrie, Chair
mayor@guelph.ca
519-829-6430
Michelle Baker, Executive Director
Michelle@obcm.ca
647-308-6602