On Tuesday, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing introduced legislation to address the housing supply shortage being faced across the province. The More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, if passed, will make changes to multiple pieces of existing legislation and supporting regulations as part of Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan for 2022-2023.
Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) support the governments’ goal of building 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years, there is a housing crisis in Ontario and daily we see the impact of this on our residents. Delivering more housing, affordable for all income levels, is a priority for municipalities and while we are seeing results more needs to be done.
“OBCM welcomes the introduction of the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022,” said Cam Guthrie, Mayor of Guelph, and Chair of OBCM. “There are some very positive things in here, and there are some items that will require further review, such as the impact of removing development charges. We look forward to further discussions with Minister Clark and his colleagues on these matters before legislation is passed.”
OBCM understands that the province and the federal government have initiated conversations on how all three levels of government can collaborate to solve some of these issues. OBCM would like to see the municipal sector at the table as decision-making progresses – there is no solution without all three parties involved.
OBCM will be providing a more detailed position on this extensive legislation after meeting collectively with our membership. We look forward to welcoming twelve newly-elected Mayors and to welcoming back seventeen re-elected Mayors at our first meeting – after new Councils are sworn-in and inaugural meetings are held mid-to-late November.
Because of this timing, OBCM is also requesting that the Government of Ontario extend the comment period for all 30- and 31-day postings for feedback on potential legislative, regulatory, policy and other changes, to 45- or 66-day postings as some already are, to allow for full municipal participation. The current list of postings is as follows:
Environmental Registry of Ontario Postings:
- Proposed Planning Act and City of Toronto Act Changes (30 days)
- Proposed Planning Act and Development Charges Act Changes (30 days)
- Proposed Ontario Heritage Act and Regulatory Changes (30 days)
- Proposed Conservation Authorities Act and Regulatory Changes (30 days)
- Proposed Natural Hazards Regulatory Changes (66 days)
- Proposed Inclusionary Zoning Regulatory Changes (45 days)
- Proposed Changes to Ontario Regulation 299/19: Additional Residential Units (45 days)
- Proposed Supporting Growth and Housing in York and Durham Regions (30 days)
- Proposed Municipal Act and City of Toronto Act Changes (30 days)
- Proposed Ontario Land Tribunal Act Changes (31 days)
- Proposed Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act Changes (31 days)
- Proposed New Home Construction Licensing Act Regulatory Changes (45 days)
- Proposed Building Code Regulatory Changes (45 days)
- Provincial Policy Statement and A Place to Grow review proposal (66 days)
- Proposed Revocation of the Parkway Belt West Plan (66 days)
- Proposed Revocation of the Central Pickering Development Plan (30 days)
- Conserving Ontario’s Natural Heritage (66 days)
- Ontario Wetland Evaluation System Proposal (30 days)
- Potential measures to support Rent-to-Own (45 days)
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@ontariobigcitymayors.ca
647-308-6602