Municipal Official Plans need to be bold

The provincial planning approvals system is in a state of disarray, following an announcement that the Ontario government would reverse changes made to a dozen municipal Official Plans. The provincial government has indicated that it wants to rebuild public trust in the provincial planning process. The West End Home Builders’ Association (WEHBA) supports a transparent land development process that provides certainty to municipalities, communities and the development industry. While the province takes the steps to achieve this, we urge all levels of government to not abandon efforts to address the housing crisis and take action to significantly increase housing supply.

Population growth

Across southern Ontario, we are witnessing the impact the housing shortage has on people and communities. Young families are getting priced out and leaving larger cities for more affordable communities farther and farther away. There is a broad consensus that over the next ten years we will need to build at least 1.5 million more homes across Ontario to keep up with our growing population. That is a very big number. For perspective, we would need to double the current rate of construction to accommodate growth.

The original modifications made to a dozen municipal Official Plans by the provincial government were intended to uphold the province’s own objective to increase housing supply, choice and achieve balanced growth. While some of the modifications may have been politically unpopular, they are absolutely necessary to accommodate population growth. The reality is that the changes needed to fix the housing crisis will be disruptive if they are to be transformative.

Shovels in the ground

The Greater Golden Horseshoe is the fastest growing region in North America. Many municipal Official Plans were built on population forecasts generated prior to the federal government nearly doubling our annual population growth. Since those Official Plans were initially approved, many Ontario municipalities signed a Housing Pledge that reflects actual population growth and commits their support to significantly increasing housing construction. We need to provide residents with access to a variety of housing options that meet their needs.

Government, industry and the public must continue to support getting more “shovels in the ground” as urgently as possible. Municipal councils have a fresh opportunity to carefully review the provincial modifications and adopt key changes to provide enough homes for our growing population. Southern Ontario offers a vibrant and welcoming environment, and this is our opportunity to build a better future for everyone who lives here, and everyone who chooses to live here in future. It will require bold thinking and urgent action, but if we work together, we’ll make that future a reality, one home at a time.