Burlington endorses city-wide development charge reductions

The City of Burlington’s Committee of the Whole has unanimously endorsed a city-wide development charge reduction. In an unprecedented move across Ontario, Burlington brought forward an approximately $1,500 reduction to the City’s per unit development charge rate (taxes levied on the construction of new housing). This move demonstrates a clear recognition that to address the housing crisis, all levels of government need to reduce taxation and other costs to build new homes.

Leadership in a housing crisis

“The cost of development charges has a significant impact on housing affordability as these taxes are passed onto people buying or renting homes,” says West End HBA (WEHBA) CEO Mike Collins-Williams. “Typically, municipalities increase their development charge rates every five years, however Burlington is showing leadership in a housing crisis and has decided to do the exact opposite.

“City staff sharpened their pencils looking carefully at their budgets and given the housing crisis deferred collecting development charges on some projects that are unlikely to be built within the next 10 years. Burlington is one of the only municipalities in Ontario that has made this bold and pragmatic decision to lower development charges in an effort to spur new home cconstruction.”

Partnership with industry

Burlington has adopted a housing pledge of building 29,000 units over the next 10 years. The proposed development charge reduction signifies Burlington is taking the housing crisis seriously and working in partnership with industry to ensure Burlington is a place where everyone is welcome, WEHBA says.