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Mississauga

Mississauga task force proposes new housing actions

Thursday, January 23, 2025

A new report recommends 30 actions the City of Mississauga can take to relieve the housing crisis. Mayor Parrish’s housing task force, made of experts from Ontario’s private and not-for-profit building and development industry, presented a Partners in Homebuilding report to City Council yesterday.

“I asked for collaboration and concrete solutions that could help address the crisis and they delivered,” said Mayor Parrish. “There was a 95 per cent drop in new high-rise sales in the region last year. It’s clear we can no longer afford to wait. We must do what we can right now to help get shovels in the ground – our residents deserve nothing less.”

As an immediate next step, the Mayor will bring forward a motion next week with actions the City will take to quickly address housing affordability. Recommendations fall under four priority areas:

  • Reform development charges, taxes and fees to help lower housing costs: Ninety-five per cent of new homes built in Canada are built by the private sector. The task force recommends 14 actions to help balance demand and incentivize more affordable housing developments.
  • Update building and design standards to help boost supply and make building more affordable: In a housing crisis, the aim of guidelines and standards must be to help – not hinder – good city-building. The task force recommends seven actions that will help create efficiencies across the industry to increase supply.
  • Transform zoning to unlock more housing: Zoning reform provides certainty for developers and can help streamline the development application process. The task force recommends five actions that will support Mississauga’s transformation into a dynamic urban city.
  • Create sustainable programs and funding that will mobilize industry to help meet the demand for affordable housing: The private sector can – and is willing to – play a significant role in helping to build affordable housing. The Task Force recommends four actions to help develop a sustainable, long-term funding program for affordable housing.

The report also outlines 14 actions that are already addressing the housing crisis, such as adding permissions for another 124,000 units to boost residential growth.

In the coming months, staff will update the City’s Housing Action Plan with recommendations that will be advancing from the Mayor’s Housing Task Force.

 

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