OREA CEO TIM HUDAK STATEMENT ON LATEST FORD GOVERNMENT HOUSING BILL

• By Brittany Whitton
• Posted Monday, Apr 15, 2024 12:15 pm

OREA CEO TIM HUDAK STATEMENT ON LATEST FORD GOVERNMENT HOUSING BILL

“Today, the Government of Ontario announced the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, the Province’s sixth piece of housing legislation since 2018. 

OREA is pleased to see progress on several important solutions from our recent housing supply report and our advocacy on modular construction, aimed at streamlining approvals and getting more homes built. The solutions include:

• Exploring new financing and governance to support critical infrastructure, such as water and wastewater, including through the Peel Region Transition Board – a critical first step towards allowing water and wastewater services to be provided through a municipal services corporation, which would reduce upfront costs to homebuyers by as much as $50,000;
• Developing business service standards for permit/license services to reduce regulatory delays;
• Eliminating parking minimums near transit to enable greater density along transit; 
• Making it easier to build more garden, laneway, and basement suites;
• Permitting mass timber structures up to 18 storeys; and
• Supporting standardized designs to reduce delays and costs for modular homes.

Outside of these proposals, other important solutions in the Bill include streamlining approvals for student housing. 

There is still work to be done. Any changes to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) should be focused on preventing abuse and eliminate backlog. Similarly, any changes to how municipalities collect and spend development charges cannot increase costs....[READ MORE]