The Ontario government has proposed a series of changes to the growth plan intended to help increase housing supply, attract investment and protect jobs in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Home to 25 per cent of Canada’s population, the Greater Golden Horseshoe is expected to house 13.5 million people and 6.3 million jobs — an increase of approximately 4 million people and 85 per cent of the province’s population growth.
Given the lack of affordable housing facing Ontarians today, housing is desperately needed.
These changes, the official notice asserts, would make it faster and easier to build housing and other services for the growing number of people who will live and work in the Greater Golden Horseshoe region in the next 20 years. Modifications include revising policy around minimum intensification and density targets, as well as streamlining and simplifying processes to allow municipalities and developers to more expediently “work together to build communities that address local needs and regional priorities.”
“We believe there are too many barriers standing in the way of creating housing and attracting investment in the region,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “That is why we are proposing changes to the region’s growth plan to increase housing supply and bring down costs. Our government for the people is committed to ensuring Ontario remains the best place to own or rent a home, to work and to invest.”
With these changes, the government asserts local communities would be better able to:
• Build more housing and businesses around transit that supports growing areas;
• Attract investment, encourage businesses to create and retain jobs; and,
• Simplify growth planning in rural areas to create more housing.
The proposed changes were developed in cooperation with the business, research and development sectors, municipalities and other stakeholders during detailed consultations conducted last fall, including a growth planning forum attended by over 200 people.
Details of the proposed changes will be available on the Environmental Registry of Ontario and the Ontario Regulatory Registry for public comment for 45 days.
