Minutes of Affordable Housing Task Force

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Electronic and In-Person Participation - Affordable Housing Task Force
The Corporation of the Town of Orangeville
(Chair and Secretary at Town Hall - 87 Broadway)
Orangeville, Ontario
Members Present:
  • Councillor J. Andrews, Chair
  • K. Atkinson
  • R. Mair
Members Absent:
  • Councillor Prendergast, Vice-Chair
  • C. De Castro
Staff Present:
  • G. Brennan, Legislative Assistant, Corporate Services
  • B. Ward, Manager, Planning, Infrastructure Services

1.
Call to Order

 

The meeting was called to order at 5:32 p.m.

2.
Disclosures of (Direct or Indirect) Pecuniary Interest

 

None.

3.
Land Acknowledgment

 

Councillor J. Andrews, Chair, acknowledged the treaty lands and territory of the Williams Treaty Nations and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. He also recognized that Dufferin County is the traditional territory of the Wendat and the Haudenosaunee, and is home to many Indigenous people today.

4.
Adoption of Minutes of Previous Meeting

 
  • 2024-008
    Moved ByR. Mair

    That the minutes of the following meeting are approved:

5.
Presentations

 

None.

6.
Items for Discussion and Reports

 

6.1
Proposed Work Plan

 

The Task Force reviewed a draft copy of their proposed work plan and discussed the various projects they wish to accomplish before the submission of their final report to Council. The Task Force discussed hosting a public information session for local residents and developers to share their experiences with affordable housing challenges such as land costs, regulatory impediments, and planning requirements. Additionally, the Task Force discussed the benefits of viewing and attending successful affordable housing developments to review best practices and gain exposure to effective design strategies.

The Task Force discussed the need to pinpoint restrictive development regulations, zoning, and parking requirements that can be streamlined to create accessible and inclusive housing, as well as the need to actively engage with Dufferin County and neighboring municipalities to benchmark successful policies and strategies. The Task Force reached a consensus for the need to bring forward additional legislation to review and discuss during future meetings.

6.2
Town of Orangeville Current Developments

 

Brandon Ward, Manager, Planning, Infrastructure Services, highlighted selective active developments in the Town of Orangeville, and discussed the reasons for various planning approval steps relative to the planning framework. Mr. Ward discussed the various legislative requirements for developments over ten (10) units compared to developments with ten (10) units or less that can go right to the building permit stage. Additionally, Mr. Ward and the Task Force highlighted the ability for developers to take advantage of deferred Development Charges (DC's), and if this would be attractive to applicable large scale developments in the Town of Orangeville.

7.
Correspondence

 

7.1
Hon. Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Additional Residential Unit Framework Letter

 

Mr. Ward shared that to further support the implementation of Additional Residential Units (ARU's), The Cutting Red Tape To Build More Homes Act, 2024, made further changes to the Planning Act to provide the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing greater authority to remove municipal zoning by-law barriers in order to facilitate the creation of ARU's.

8.
Announcements

 

Councillor J. Andrews, Chair, announced that Dufferin County will soon release its Master Housing Strategy, and that the Task Force will review the strategy when possible.

9.
Date of Next Meeting

 

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January, 9, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.

10.
Adjournment

 
  • 2024-009
    Moved ByR. Mair

    That the meeting be adjourned at 7 p.m.

    Carried
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