BILD: Proposed changes to Growth Plan could ease housing crunch

Communitypress.ca
January 31, 2019
Dave Wilkes

Last week brought some good news for those who hope to own their own home in the GTA one day. The provincial government proposed changes to the policy that manages growth in our region, the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. If the changes are implemented, they would mean more housing supply and choice, and ultimately, better housing affordability.

The Growth Plan, which was introduced by a previous provincial government in 2006 and revised in 2017, brought in new requirements in the planning process to encourage the development of compact, mixed-use, transit-oriented communities. This was a laudable goal, but many municipalities struggled to meet the new requirements, particularly density targets that did not take into account the differences among the municipalities that make up our diverse region.

The 2006 Growth Plan called for 50 residents and jobs per hectare in areas that are not yet built up but are designated for future development. This target was already a challenge for many smaller communities that did not have the transit and other infrastructure to support it, yet the 2017 Growth Plan increased the target to 80 residents and jobs per hectare.

The proposed changes call for varying numbers of residents and jobs per hectare, depending on the municipality: not less than 60 for Hamilton, Peel, Waterloo and York; not less than 50 for Barrie, Brantford, Guelph, Orillia, Peterborough, Durham, Halton and Niagara; and not less than 40 for Kawartha Lakes, Brant, Dufferin, Haldimand, Northumberland, Peterborough, Simcoe and Wellington. Municipalities would have an easier time meeting these more reasonable density targets.

Under the proposed changes to the Growth Plan, municipalities would also have more flexibility to develop housing on lands that have previously been designated as employment areas and on small pieces of land that are currently outside their settlement area boundaries. Overall, the changes would mean municipalities could build more housing and the right mix of housing type for their community, while making efficient use of land and maximizing their existing infrastructure. And ultimately, a healthier supply of housing means better housing affordability.

That’s great news for people looking to live, work and own a home in the GTA, because they are more likely to find the type of home they want and can afford. Until the proposed changes are implemented, we will continue to face a different reality. We are not building enough homes to accommodate the 115,000 people arriving in our region every year. We are falling short by about 8,000-10,000 homes a year. This supply shortfall drives up home prices and rents, creating pressures that are particularly felt by young families and first-time home buyers.

The proposed changes to the Growth Plan would be concrete, positive steps toward addressing this generational challenge.