On October 25, 2022, the Province of Ontario announced Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (view bill). The bill looks to support the Government's goal of building 1.5 million homes across Ontario over the next 10 years.
The bill has significant implications for Ontario's municipalities.
The bill contains policies that would increase density of neighbourhoods, set housing targets for larger municipalities, and make sweeping changes to development fees and approval processes. For example, the bill proposes to exempt developers from paying development charges, parkland dedication fees and community benefit charges. It also changes the role for conservation authorities in regulating development with regards to natural hazards.
If approved, the bill will affect the Municipal Act and other legislation. From a land use planning perspective, the changes that are expected to be the most consequential to Middlesex Centre are amendments to the Conservation Authorities Act, the Development Charges Act, the Ontario Land Tribunal Act and the Planning Act.
Middlesex Centre Council will consider Bill 23 and what it means for our community at their next planning meeting on December 14, 2022.
For more information about the potential impact of Bill 23 on municipalities, please see the following.
- Response to Bill 23 - Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
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The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) prepared a submission to the Province regarding Bill 23. In their response, AMO identifies three key areas of concern, saying:
Many of the proposed changes under Bill 23 create more problems than they solve, and will negatively impact housing affordability across Ontario for three reasons:
- The bill proposes changes to infrastructure financing that would shift costs from developers to municipalities based on a faulty assumption that savings will be passed on to new homeowners and renters, (i.e., that house prices are determined by the cost of inputs rather than market forces). Unless fully offset with a new source of municipal infrastructure funding, this departure from the principle that growth pays for growth will result in property tax increases and service reductions. Preliminary analysis indicates that Bill 23, if enacted, would reduce the municipal resources available to service new developments by more than $5.1 billion over the next 9 years. This estimate includes a reduction of over $400 million for community housing during the same period.
- By making changes to municipal governance and municipal planning approvals, the legislative proposals strip municipalities of the tools required to manage growth deliberately and responsibly, with potentially negative impacts for the liveability of Ontario’s communities.
- The legislation will create serious risks to the environment and human health at a time when the impacts of climate change are evident and urgent. The proposed changes to how municipalities approve development and manage where and how growth occurs signal a move away from environmental protection when it is needed most.
- Response to Bill 23 - Association of Municipal Manager, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO)
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The Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) prepared a submission to the Province regarding Bill 23.
Their submission emphasizes that sweeping changes with impacts to municipal budgets and local processes should be made in partnership with local governments in order to deliver on shared municipal-provincial priorities.
- Response to Bill 23 - Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA)
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The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) prepared a submission to the Province regarding Bill 23. It is included here as the submission makes reference to housing in rural settlement areas and has implications for farms across the province.
- Response to Bill 23 - Middlesex Centre
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Middlesex Centre receives planning services from the County of Middlesex; a presentation on Bill 23 will be going to County Council in the near future.
Middlesex Centre Council will receive a staff report on Bill 23 at their meeting on December 14, 2022. This report is available with the Council agenda.
Consultation
There are 19 concurrent postings on the Environmental and Regulatory Registries, some of which are subject to public comment, with comment periods ending between November 24, 2022 and December 30, 2022. The AMCTO has provided links to each of these postings, should you wish to provide comments.