Ontario government proposes new provincial planning and housing measures to boost supply

The Ontario government has unveiled a package of bills, regulatory and policy proposals to address the housing crisis. The plan proposes a new provincial planning statement that promotes simplified land use regulations. This plan continues the government's early efforts to increase the province's housing stock.

Based on this plan, the Ontario government is proposing various legislative, regulatory and policy changes. However, the focus of this article will be on changes to land planning and development in Ontario.

As part of this plan, the government has introduced Bill 97, also''Known as the Homebuyer Assistance and Tenant Protection Act'. This bill proposes changes to a number of Acts, including the Building Code Act, the City of Toronto Act, the Development Charges Act, the Municipal Affairs and Housing Act, the Municipality Act, the Planning Act and the Residential Tenancies Act.

One of the main changes proposed by Bill 97 relates to the definition of an "employment zone" in the Planning Act. It is proposed to narrow the definition of this zone by excluding institutional and commercial uses such as retail and offices. Instead, the "employment zone" would include only manufacturing, warehousing and related uses.

It is also proposed to change the rules for site planning controls for small residential construction projects. Previously, Act 23 allowed residential projects with 10 or fewer dwellings to be excluded from the planning control process. It is proposed to amend this law to exclude certain areas from this exemption if there is proximity to a shoreline or railroad.

In addition, Bill 97 proposes to amend the provisions for refunding the mandatory building permit application fee. Previously enacted law required such fees to be refunded if a municipality failed to make a decision within a specified time frame.'''It is proposed to amend the Act so that the mandatory clawback will only apply to applications made after July 1, 2023.

There is also a consultation on regulatory proposals for municipal agreements, replacement leasehold units and modular construction. Changes to relevant laws and regulations are proposed to create a level playing field for tenants and builders and to ensure affordable housing.

In addition, it is proposed to create a new provincial planning statement that will consolidate existing provincial policy provisions and growth plans into one document. The purpose of this statement is to simplify Ontario's land use regulations and encourage''building more housing.

In general, the proposed changes are intended to address the housing crisis and improve the real estate market in Ontario. However, consultation and consideration of the potential impacts on developers, tenants and municipalities is required before these changes are enacted.