'It's disgusting': East Gwillimbury council, staff voice frustrations with Bill 23

Town staff said act will result in a projected funding shortfall of 10 per cent for the new Health and Active Living Plaza in Queensville

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 9, 2023
Simon Martin

Add East Gwillimbury to the growing list of municipalities furious with the province for the sudden implementation of the More Homes Built Faster Act, also known as Bill 23.

East Gwillimbury council members didn’t hold back on what they thought of the province’s manoeuvre at a council meeting last month.

“For the life of me, I don’t understand why our MPP didn’t contact us. There should have been a heads-up. It’s disgusting. It really is,” East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson said.

Town staff described the short commenting process egregious and insulting.

The town anticipates that the act could require the municipality to more than double property taxes to account for the decrease in development charges revenue that the legislation enables. As a result, the town projects a reduction in revenue from development charges between $40 million and $70 million over the next 10 years. This represents an overall decrease in revenues of about 30 to 40 per cent.

East Gwillimbury supports the increase in housing supply. The community grew by 44 per cent from 2016 to 2021, with more than 3,000 building permits issued. Development charges that accompanied the housing supply during the municipality’s fastest growth period pay for the roads, sidewalks, water and wastewater infrastructure, parks, trails, and other community amenities needed for families to thrive.

Among these amenities is the 85,000-square-foot Health and Active Living Plaza, which is under construction and is slated to open in 2025. Town staff said the act will result in a projected funding shortfall of 10 per cent for facility construction costs because of the retroactive effect of the act.

“It was only in September that we proudly announced that the Health and Active Living Plaza will be constructed at no cost to the taxpayer,” Hackson said. “Today, we are facing the possibility of changing our zero-debt status and placing a greater financial burden on East Gwillimbury residents because of the act and its efforts to transfer the cost of growth from developers to residents. We urge the province to repeal all provisions of the act pertaining to development charges.”

While the town said it supports efforts to increase housing supply, reducing development charges will only transfer the cost of infrastructure from builders to homeowners and will further impact housing affordability and the municipality’s ability to afford much-needed infrastructure, the town said in a letter addressed to the province.

Ward 3 Coun. Scott Crone said it was important the town made their voice heard on the matter. “I would bet a steak dinner that our comments don’t change a thing,” he said. “I think it is incredibly important that we go on record being opposed to this.”