By Pepper Parr
September 3rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario government released new planning rules in April that would require cities to set minimum targets for affordable housing but promised to listen to local leaders about what to build and where, which critics say could prevent sufficient homes being constructed as the population continues to rise.
The new Provincial Planning Statement was issued after earlier drafts were circulated last year and in the spring. This final version, which takes effect in October, retains some controversial elements and continues the provincial approach of directing major development away from established neighbourhoods.
In a speech to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, which is meeting this week in Ottawa, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Paul Calandra said Tuesday that the new approach would cut red tape and provide planning consistency across the province. He also said the document acknowledged the need for local input into where housing should go.
A lot of talk about moving the supermarket closer to the street, putting parking underground and high rise at the back of the property and opening up a pathway along the edge of the creek. A development has already been planned for the lower right hand corner.
“It recognizes that municipalities understand local challenges and priorities when it comes to building homes, and that the types of homes that are needed to be built in your communities, it is you who know best what you should be building in your communities for your residents,” he said.
That raised red flags for Phil Pothen, a land-use planning and environmental lawyer with the advocacy group Environmental Defence who said: “That single statement is the crux of what is wrong with this,” he said. “They have decided to side with the NIMBYs and sprawl developers and abandon any effort to mandate more efficient land use.”
He also warned that requiring cities to plan affordable housing targets could be meaningless without also permitting cheaper forms of development, such as the widespread construction in residential areas of wood-framed mid-rise buildings.
According to provincial figures Ontario is projected to grow to around 21.7 million people, a rise of almost 44 per cent. The government has set a target of having 1.5 million homes built by 2031.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. data released last week showed that municipal development in some desirable Southern Ontario cities had slowed. Starts in Hamilton were flat while they were down 73 per cent in Barrie and down 69 per cent in Guelph.
The plaza at New and Guelph has huge potential – a lot of consolidation would have to be done – most of the unit properties are individually owned.
The provincial planning statement calls for increased density around transit stations and eyes underutilized malls and plazas as locations for development. This seeks to maximize the benefit of transit investment and encourage the conversion of low value land uses into higher-value ones.
Burlington recently approved up to four units on a lot “as of right”: words Premier Ford said communities would “lose their minds” at such a change.
The changes in policy direction and new housing type requirements are taking place faster than developers can complete projects.
Burlington is some distance from getting anywhere hear its 29,000 units by 2031.
This graphic is taken from the Pipeline to Permit dashboard that is updated daily showing the various developments are in terms of their actual status. Link to the site is: https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMWY1NTdiYmEtNzE5OS00YTk4LWFjNzgtYWI0NmVjOTFiOTU0IiwidCI6ImZlMGU0M2I5LWY1NDQtNGFhNi05YzEzLWIzNTAwZmVkYjJlZSJ9
Do you want to look at the biggest problem in all this? It’s the provincial growth targets, and feckless, endless policy changes due to continuous failure.
According to provincial figures Ontario is projected to grow to around 21.7 million people, a rise of almost 44 per cent. This is just madness, and the thoughtless pursuit of this is making every attempt at one policy change after another to make things better, according to Ford, just worse at every step.
Nobody at Queen’s Park has any brains to think what 44% of Ontario’s population really is, and what it will need. There is no where here to pencil this out, but some one here has done some of this in the past Maybe Eric Stern can give us some of his handiwork.
With this stupid policy goal, the government has set a target of having 1.5 million homes built by 2031. This isn’t working, and it needs acceptance that it won’t work, as it’s evident even at the start of what is the exponential hill climb that sucks money at an increasing rate from everyone.
Burlington isn’t doing so well, being nowhere hear its 29,000 units by 2031. Every loss of exponential increase per year in units, means we are behind, and must make up a higher unit need in the future. If you can, think of 1.500,000, and all the entailing needs. The OLT can’t fix it.
Finally, the Fed is finally seeing that immigration needs a tight rein. We need fewer added people, not evermore. This needs to happen here or we are going to overwhelmed in taxes,government deficits/debt, City budget increases we don’t want, and will object to, and more provincial cost transfers, and power grabs ad infinitim. b
For the most part I agree with what you’re trying to say, however let’s make sure we’re directing attention to where attention is due. It’s not Doug Ford who’s pumping new residents into Ontario. He’s just responding (and struggling) to the demand created by Trudeau’s want and need to import a new wave of Liberal voters who haven’t yet come to realize the level of his incompetence. 600,000 new residents in the GTA is the number I’ve heard for 2024 (I don’t know if that’s accurate, but it wouldn’t surprise me). We can’t handle that kind of growth, and we the taxpayers can’t afford to keep putting new immigrants up in hotels and paying for their health and wellbeing while they figure things out. We are already so heavily taxed, and our pockets are only so deep. The Federal Libs need to close the immigration doors for a while, work with Provincial, Regional and local levels of government, and actually come up with a plan. A real plan. Not just throw ridiculous population growth numbers at Provinces and cities and saying it’s up to them to figure it out. It’s not working, and we’re all suffering as a result.
We are close, but I can’t buy putting all the blame on Trudeau. Ford knows, or should know, and admit, that rationale – it’s part of his job for responsible and accountable governance. Stop the overreach and the spread of the deficit spending all over the place for an impossible goal. He seems to have no motive for that. It’s just too much, we agree on that. So he has responsibility to say NO, and do something, like you suggest – make a plan, where the numbers and the timing will get the nod of the Municipal planning departments as EASILY workable.
And don’t forget, the City doesn’t build the houses, but is required to get everything the developers applications need to get done. systematically, for the Pipeline flow to PERMIT. If developers really want to build some houses, commitment to a saleable project is needed, and this means economic conditions, and presale success confidence.
Ford says that the City knows best: where, how much, and when, to take this on. If affordable is priority, then the missing middle is a definite need, and is supported by Phil Pothen of Environmental Defence, as outlined in this story. The City is organized, with Jamie Tellier at the lead to, initiate proposals of city needs and wants, and negotiate. Let them do their jobs. What I see in this story has already started this overall collection of parts. Ford needs to get with the story plan.
But instead, easily seen by Ford’s overall performance, I think he is just doubling down, with his endless policy accelerators and money and city cost transfers, to use the masses overload coming to get as much of the growth in houses as he can on debt. As I see it, this only serves his want to continue to argue for: roads mainly; all the other urban expansion in lands for more growth (remember the greenbelt); other expansion in infrastructure needed by the masses; and other indicators of his true priorities, none of which are affordable housing or complete communities as part of the growth..
“Municiapalities knowing what is best for their city” is one thing. Acting on it another. July and August 2024 Committee of the Whole, Council, Special Council meeting planning recommrndatio and decisions are proof of the pudding is in the eating. We have the ability to have a Motion to Reconsider supported by Lisa Kearns, will it happen doubt it, we don’t have the calibre of councillors that can admit they were wrong.
Civic Square had identified barriers from 2016 that were budgeted for removal in 2019 until this council came in. Too underwhelming a design was this council’s opinion. Bentivegna being the exception on the first and last vote over the last five years Despite monies available still waiting for the work to be done now with a huge ballooned budget for lots of extras we do not need. Those resting in the Square sure miss shade trees that have been replaced by ugly weed overgrown empty grates. We need to get on with it before we have to pay Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act penalties that should begin in 2025.
Oh and did you hear about the 2024 $10.6 million dollar budget for Pier and walkway remedial work. They say they are replacing the lower Promenade railing.
Perhaps they are going to make the view from the lower Promenade as bad as the pier’s that has a railing that obstructs the view of those in wheelchairs etc. whereas the present lower Promenade does not.
There are a number of important points in this article.
First – if the Province is going to leave decisions about where to build housing then why has the Province not agreed to stop development on the Millcroft Golf Course green, stormwater infrastructure. City Council and the Region have unanimously opposed the development and the City has on two occasions formally requested that the Province support their position. Yet the Ontario Land Tribunal(OLT) has overruled the municipal decision – once again (97% of cases). Lets hold our Provincial government accountable for their words – write to the Premier and deman that the government be held accountable for their words to leave authority for land use decisions with the municipalities.
Second, the OLT should be abolished consistent with the statement that municipalities should decide what and where to build. Isn’t this solely what the OLT does is overrule municipalities in 97% of cases?
Third, while affordable housing is important, it might be lost on Phil Pothen that 97% of flooding issues that are wreaking havoc in our lives and livelihoods are caused by urban flooding. The sources of urban flooding are overdevelopment and land use planning decisions (Ontario Auditor General Report – “Climate Adaptation: Reducing Urban Flood Risk”). Smaller lot sizes and less urban park space means that there is less space for trees to grow. This tree canopy, not only absorbs stormwater, but also offers heat mitigation in our Cities. People in Cities also need clean air to breathe and the tree canopy is an important mechanism for CO2 conversion to oxygen.
Fourth – the City doesn’t build homes (and shouldn’t). Developers are not building because the demand (largely from investors rather than homeowners) has subsided. They can’t achieve the presales required to build – particularly high rises.
Fifth- the Province has issued MZOs in favour of developers in our City to change land use designations including rezoning employment to residential. Where will the residents of Burlington work?