Richmond Hill mayor asks Ontario’s housing minister to address “many serious concerns” about Bill 23

He suggested that it needs to be written into the legislation that reduced development charges will equate to more affordability for homebuyers as fewer costs get passed on to developers

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 19, 2022
Sheila Wang

Mayor David West has doubled down on his push for a “pause” on Ontario’s More Homes Built Faster Act or Bill 23, which he says poses grave concerns over accountability, environmental impact and financial implications.

The Richmond Hill mayor made the statement, following a meeting with representatives from the offices of Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark and associate Minister of Housing Michael Parsa on Dec. 16.

“The current legislation has serious flaws,” West said. “My message is clear -- the accountability, environmental impact and financial implications of this legislation have not been adequately considered and communicated.”

The sweeping legislation, tabled on Oct. 25 right after the municipal elections, would see significant changes to the development approval process to achieve the province’s goal of adding 1.5 million new homes by 2031.

It introduced a slew of changes, which critics say would impact the municipal governments’ ability to manage growth in their own communities as the bill was poised to amend a number of guiding policies.

In his statement, the mayor expressed his utmost concern about the lack of accountability in the language of the bill regarding the development charges.

He suggested that it needs to be written into the legislation that reduced development charges will equate to more affordability for more homebuyers so they won't be added to developer’s profit margin.

The long-term impact on the environment has not been looked at in due process and consideration as the province proposes encroaching on Greenbelt lands, West said.

However, the province ignored both Richmond Hill and York Region council’s request to pause the bill to allow for meaningful consultation, he noted.

While the City of Richmond Hill is still assessing the total financial implications of the housing legislation, the mayor estimated the impacts on the city would be “serious and significant.”

The bill would reduce the municipal resources available to service new developments by more than $5.1 billion over the next nine years, including a reduction of more than $400 million for community housing during the same period, according to a preliminary analysis shared by the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO).

“We rely on DCs to fund the growth-related community facilities and services that our residents rightly expect,” West said.

The city has had plans for significant infrastructure projects at the cost of $291,000,000 to support the building of the community over the next 10 years, including a new fire station, library service expansions, road widening and park revitalization(s).

The lost development charges resulting from Bill 23 will require alternative sources such as increased property taxes, or these projects will not be built at all.

West said neither options are acceptable and found it “disappointing” that “so many citizens' and municipalities’ voices have been ignored to date.”

As one of the 29 municipalities assigned a housing target by the province, Richmond Hill is expected to add 27,000 new homes by 2032.

There are currently 11,000 development units approved but not built across the city, the statement says.

Richmond Hill has adopted a Housing Affordability Strategy which is aimed to help make more units affordable for more people in the city.