Bill 23 - More Homes Built Faster Act

Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing introduced legislation to address the housing supply shortage being faced across the province. The More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, if passed, will make changes to multiple pieces of existing legislation and supporting regulations as part of Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan for 2022-2023.

The City is facing a housing crisis and climate crisis. As a municipal government, the City has a responsibility to review existing practices and policies and adapt and make changes in the public interest. However, the proposal as presented by the Province fails to address the goals of increasing housing supply, housing affordability, and improved process and instead will result in the loss of environmental protections, heritage conservation, urban design and accountability to the public, along with severe financial implications for the City and Region.

The Bill threatens the foundation of planning and community building further and generates conflict and division in the process when it is critical that all levels work together. Should the Bill be passed as proposed, it will have a detrimental impact to the environmental, social and economic health and wellbeing of our community, setting the City back instead of progressing forward.

The City agrees that additional housing supply is warranted; however, housing alone does not create community. Bill 23 has no regard or consideration for infrastructure funding, asset management, environmental systems, public realm, and quality of space. Bill 23 includes varying timelines for the proposed amendments with some coming into force upon the Act receiving Royal Assent and others only coming into force by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, of which the timing is currently unknown. There are a number of associated regulations anticipated that the Province has not yet released.

Response and Recommendation

At the meeting of City Council on Nov. 7, 2022, staff presented a report on Bill 23 - More Homes Built Faster Act. The report detailed concerns with the proposed legislation and the following recommendation presented by staff was approved by Council:

That Council, via the Mayor’s Office, advise the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, of the following comments of the City regarding Bill 23 – More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022:

1. Bill 23, as presented, fails to address the stated goals of increasing housing supply, housing affordability, and improved process and instead will result in the loss of environmental protections, heritage conservation, urban design, and accountability to the public, in addition to severe financial implications for the City and Region, as follows:

a) Removing conservation of land and protection of significant environmental features, allowing development within protected areas worthy of protection.

b) Limiting tools for conservation of heritage resources.

c) Removal of primary quality control mechanism to promote good design.

d) Loss of cohesive Regional systems oversight with the removal of the Region of Niagara from review and approval of planning applications and Official Plan creation.

e) Elimination of appeal rights for the public on Planning Act applications and reduction in overall public consultation and involvement.

f) Transfer of financial responsibility from private developers to the individual property taxpayer.

g) 73 per cent of the City’s projected growth for the next 30 years is now to be accommodated in 10 years, despite the building industry’s inability to deliver; and

2. Council requests the Province defer passage of Bill 23 until such time as further evaluation, analysis, and meaningful consultation has occurred with municipalities, AMO, Niagara Region, ROMA, RPC, NPCA, Conservation Ontario, OPPI, MFOA, and OBCM; and

3. Council strongly recommends that substantial Provincial investment be provided to support municipalities to fund anticipated infrastructure upgrades to accommodate new intensification goals and compensate for decrease of development charge funding opportunities as outlined in the proposed legislation; and that staff forward Report PBS-181-2022 and its Appendices to those identified in the Notifications section of this report, including the Premier, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and local Members of Provincial Parliament; and further, that Council authorize staff to provide comments to the Environmental Registry of Ontario regarding proposed Bill 23, prior to Nov. 24, 2022.

Council Report