Thread by @mikejcw

Ontario's Housing Affordability Task Force recommends setting a bold goal of adding 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years and update planning guidance to make this a priority. Link to report & a short 🧵 of key recommendations: #onpoli

news.ontario.ca/en/release/100…

Task Force recommends: Amending the Planning Act, Provincial Policy Statement & Growth Plan to set “growth in the full spectrum of housing supply” & “intensification within existing built-up areas” of municipalities as the most important residential housing priorities. #ONpoli

The Housing Affordability Task Force is recommending limiting exclusionary zoning policies in municipalities through binding provincial action that would allow “as of right” residential housing up to four units and up to four storeys on a single residential lot. 3/? #onpoli

A key recommendation that is an absolute game changer for small scale infill: Modernize Building Code & other policies to remove any barriers to affordable construction (e.g., allow single-staircase construction for up to four storeys, allow single egress, etc.). 4/? #onpoli

A bold Transit Oriented Development #TOD recommendation: Allow “as of right” zoning up to unlimited height & unlimited density in immediate proximity of major transit stations within two years if municipal zoning remains insufficient to meet provincial density targets 5/? #ONpoli

Assertive provincial intervention in local planning would be needed to implement this recommendation: "Allow “as of right” zoning of six to 11 storeys with no minimum parking requirements on any streets utilized by public transit (including bus & streetcar routes). 6/? #onpoli

The Housing Affordability Task Force calls out NIMBYism, conflicting goals of "maintaining local neighbourhood character" and local political games that capitulate to the loud voices stopping or delaying desperately needed homes from being built 7/? #onpoli

To combat NIMBYism, the Task Force states that "we
cannot allow opposition and politicization of individual housing projects to prevent us from meeting the needs
of all Ontarians." and recommends de-politicizing a number of technical planning approvals 8/? #onpoli

The Housing Affordability Task Force notes, "One of the strongest signs that our approval process is not working: of 35 OECD countries, only the Slovak Republic takes longer than Canada to approve a building project." 9/? #onpoli

My fav section of Housing Affordability Task Force focuses on mass timber construction as wood is a renewable resource that naturally sequesters carbon. Task Force recommends amending the Building Code to allow wood construction up to 12-storeys (currently 6 max) 10/? #ONpoli

Some Task Force recommendations focus on speed of approvals: Legislate timelines at each stage of prov & municipal review process, including site plan, minor variance & provincial reviews, and deem an application approved if the legislated response time is exceeded. 11/? #ONpoli

This recommendation alone could knock a year or two off timelines: "Create common province-wide definition of plan of subdivision & standard set of conditions which clarify which may be included; require use of standard province-wide legal agreements..." 12/? #ONpoli

Significant recommendation: "Waive development charges & parkland cash-in-lieu & charge only modest connection fees for all infill residential projects up to 10 units or for any development where no new material infrastructure will be required." 13/? #ONpoli

A significant cost reduction recommendation for affordable housing: "Waive development charges on all forms of affordable housing guaranteed to be affordable for 40 years." 14/? #onpoli

It is borderline criminal that municipalities charge higher property taxes to renters vs condos & low-rise homes. Task Force recommends ending this municipal tax policy practice: "Align property taxes for purpose-built rental with those of condos and low-rise homes." 15/? #ONpoli

A major shift in funding models: "Work w municipalities to develop & implement a municipal services corporation utility model for water & wastewater under which municipal corporation would borrow & amortize costs among customers instead of using development charges." 16/? #ONpoli