New Shapes and Sizes

Housing Supply Action Plan

BY ALEX PICCINI

In April, the provincial government outlined its next Housing Supply Action Plan. Bill 97, the HelpingHomebuyers,ProtectingTenants Act, brought forward important changes to help incentivize purpose-built rental construction, while providing more certainty to new-home builders and buyers on the time it takes to bring new supply to market. As part of Bill 97, the government introduced changes that would help provide consistency in rental replacement bylaws that municipalities can implement. OHBA was strongly encouraged by these changes, as they will offer more certainty to members constructing rental housing with regard to the features and characteristics required when renewing existing rental stock. Further, as was initially identified as part of the 2023 Ontario Budget, calls continue for the federal government to consider changes to the Harmonized Sales Tax on all housing, and purposebuilt rental in particular. This would further encourage housing and rental starts, bringing badly needed supply to market.

Speeding up approvals is a central focus for industry and, ultimately, current and future Ontarians. However, building that capacity at the municipal level continues to be a challenge in many communities. Bill 97 brings important changes to the building officials sector by completely redesigning the qualification program and increasing the availability of internships. These changes will help ensure that municipalities have the staff they require to review and approve new housing, while also encouraging more people to enter these roles.

Alongside the latest legislative changes, proposed changes would see the Provincial Policy Statement and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe merged into one new provincial planning document. This would end considerable duplication and streamline existing land use policies to ensure housing supply and variety is the core focus of the new document. OHBA welcomes these proposed updates, as they will help put municipalities on the right path for growth through establishing minimum density targets for major transit station areas. The changes will also implement intensification policies while strengthening municipalities’ ability to refocus employment land uses in order to create more homes and jobs. In addition, updates to require municipalities to plan for wastewater management infrastructure is crucial to support new housing supply—something OHBA has long called for.

The latest Housing Supply Action Plan will help Ontario build new homes of all shapes and sizes, while also planning for the growth anticipated in the years ahead. It builds on previous measures to streamline the development approvals process and pushes back against NIMBYism that denies housing to thousands at a crucial time. More housing supply in all communities means more attainability for families looking to call Ontario home. OHB

—Alex Piccini is the Manager of Government Relations for the OHBA.