Kearns calls for “Urgent and direct action to actually get housing built, sold and occupied.

By Lisa Kearns

April 1st, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney held a news conference on March 30th, 2026 to finally state how their governments will help address the demand for new housing and help make homes affordable for population growth.

Burlington City Council had been grappling with requests from both the province and the housing development community to alleviate development charges, up to 100%, that were deemed a barrier to new development by industry spokespersons.

A decision on development reductions was stalled when councillors objected to the current Mayor Meed Ward using her Strong Mayors Powers to force city staff to come up with facts and figures to justify a 100% reduction in charges without any guarantees from the two upper levels of government. It is again very clear how reckless this mayors approach was given the partial commitments now received.

“This is a welcomed announcement but Burlington residents have been clear that a local tax based subsidy on Development Charges will have a devastating effect on municipal finances, to that end targeted solutions will be tabled that do not impact our local taxpayer.

Councillor Kearns: “Unfortunately this announcement presents confusing legislation that can be applied differently based on the local realities and fiscal capacity of each municipality.”

Unfortunately this announcement presents confusing legislation that can be applied differently based on the local realities and fiscal capacity of each municipality. Our City is ready to do our part, but provincial Development Charge legislation requires the City to be kept whole. It is clear that our government partners have the funds, they need to be delivered in a way that will actually be effective.”

Ford and Carney said at their announcement today that $8.8 billion over three years in new infrastructure funding from the province and the federal government’s ‘Build Communities Strong Fund’ will offset up to a 50% reduction in development charges on the condition that municipalities implement a policy to reduce development charge reductions in their cities.

After more than a year of promising to make municipalities ‘whole’ by the province, suddenly, without any notice to municipalities this announcement comes a little too late and perhaps shy of the full support that was expected.

It’s been long held that development charges are needed to allow municipalities to construct roads, safety services, water and wastewater, park space, and recreation amenities to support communities – without overly relying on existing taxpayers to pay for new infrastructure projects.

Councillor Kearns: “Urgent and direct action is required to actually get housing built, sold and occupied.”

“Urgent and direct action is required to actually get housing built, sold and occupied.

The municipality does not have local tax-based capacity to offset development charges and has demonstrated that by the effective use of the federal Housing Accelerator Fund and extending the work of the Affordable Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan (ARHCIP).

Council positioned that relief must be targeted by location, building type, affordability, rental and urgency. It is time for government partners to fund the continued and balanced work of Council when considering additional options under the ARHCIP”