Whereas there is a housing crisis in Ontario and delivering more housing that is affordable for all income levels is a priority for the Provincial Government shared by the Town of Orangeville;
And whereas Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, if passed, will make substantial changes to multiple pieces of legislation and supporting regulations aimed at increasing housing supply and improving housing affordability as part of Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan for 2022-2023;
And whereas it is unclear how Bill 23 will improve housing supply and affordability since, as presented, Bill 23 will reduce environmental protection, heritage conservation, and quality urban design considerations in all development approval matters beyond such that is strictly related to housing;
And whereas there are measures included in Bill 23 that will significantly reduce development charge recoveries for growth-necessitated infrastructure and service improvements and it is unclear how such measures will translate directly to improving housing affordability for residents;
And whereas there are other challenges facing municipalities that affect housing supply beyond simply development costs and timelines, which will require further strategies by the Province to achieve its objectives of significantly increasing housing supply and affordability, including funding and accelerated implementation and approval support for significant municipal infrastructure expansions and upgrades;
And whereas while Council for the Town of Orangeville generally supports many of the revisions to provincial legislation where there is a clear connection to increasing housing supply and affordability, the Town of Orangeville concurs with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s (AMO) recent submission to the Standing Committee for Bill 23 stating in-part that “the province has offered no evidence that the radical elements of the Bill will improve housing affordability (and) it is more likely that the bill will enhance the profitability of the development industry at the expense of taxpayers and the natural environment”;
Therefore be it resolved that Council for the Town of Orangeville hereby requests the Province defer passage of Bill 23 until such time as further analysis, consideration of consultation feedback and meaningful engagement has occurred with municipalities and stakeholders;
And further that the Mayor be authorized to submit a letter to the Provincial Government which further addresses the comments and concerns of the Town of Orangeville with respect to Bill 23, generally as described in this Resolution;
And further that a copy of the Mayor’s letter and a copy of this resolution be submitted through the Provincial commenting window for the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022;
And further that it be circulated to The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, The Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, The Honourable Michael Parsa, Associate Minister of Housing, The Honourable Sylvia Jones, Dufferin-Caledon Member of Provincial Parliament, all MPPs in the Province of Ontario, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and all Ontario municipalities.