York Region seeks answers on new developers fee funding GO stations

Province says charge could spur development of proposals like Mulock GO station, but region says details too unclear

Newmarkettoday.ca
Oct. 27, 2023
Joseph Quigley

York Region is seeking clarity on provincial plans to fund future GO stations with a new development charge.

Regional council is making a request asking for more details on the Transportation for the Future Act, which proposes to create a station contribution fee that municipalities can levy on new developments to help construct future GO stations. This could be a new funding tool to advance GO station projects, including the Mulock GO station previously proposed for Newmarket.

But a lack of detail has the region asking questions. Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said at the Oct. 26 regional council meeting that the province needs to establish the funding formula and how much would needs to be raised via this new fee versus contributions from Metrolinx.

“Otherwise, how do you project? You might need to collect (development charges) for 36 years if you don’t know,” Taylor said.

The proposed “station contribution fee” could be levied on new developments near proposed future GO stations. With the province now wanting stations to be done with private-public partnerships, the fee could fill gaps when no single private partner can be found.

However, the province proposes an offsetting reduction in development costs for developers paying this fee. That has the region asking questions like whether or not the offset needs to be equal to the fee and whether developers could opt out of participation.

He also questioned if this represents a downloading of responsibility for funding GO stations from the province to municipalities.

“I hope they’re not suggesting in a new station, Metrolinx and GO would have no funding role,” Taylor said.

The staff report said many details would come during the regulation-making process, and the region is asking to be included in consultations.

The province said the legislation is a way to spur more housing around transit and get GO stations built faster. The Mulock GO station has remained in planning since its announcement in 2017, with no timeline yet for construction.

“The proposed legislation, if passed, will improve transit service and convenience and help the province and municipalities build transit-oriented communities along our GO rail system,” Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma said during the announcement.

The staff report said the region will monitor progress on the legislation and report back to council.