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.
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