Province to give cities new affordable housing powers
Toronto Star
18 May 2016

Groundbreaking provincial legislation being introduced Wednesday will give Toronto and other Ontario municipalities long-awaited tools to force builders to include affordable housing as part of new residential developments, the Star has learned.

But municipalities will also be required to contribute to the cause by offering development charge rebates, density bonuses and property tax waivers, according to sources familiar with the legislation.

If passed and used by Ontario municipalities, it would be a first in Canada.

Ontario’s proposed Promoting Affordable Housing Act would prohibit developers from offering cities cash instead of affordable units or building the housing on another site, sources say.

Developers would also be barred from launching Ontario Municipal Board appeals of inclusionary zoning official plan policies and zoning bylaws.

The legislation, being introduced by Housing Minister Ted McMeekin, is expected to be passed late this year or early in 2017.

top  contents  chapter  previous  next