Some major changes to planning processes are coming down the pipe with the aim of getting housing built quicker across Ontario, but according to a Collingwood councillor, some of the changes may do more harm than good.
“My mind is spinning. I am so cross,” said Coun. Yvonne Hamlin during this week’s (June 13) development and operations services standing committee meeting.
Hamlin’s comments came after Director of Planning, Building and Economic Development Summer Valentine provided an update to the committee on local implications to the provincial government passing Bill 109 – The More Homes for Everyone Act – on April 14.
The legislation is the provincial government’s first step in its plan to address recommendations from the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force.
The steps are based on the premise that reduced housing affordability is mostly due to an increase in population and a lack of supply. The province has said the legislation is an attempt to reduce ‘red tape,’ accelerating development application review timelines and streamlining the process.
According to Valentine’s presentation, there are a few key changes that will impact development processes in Collingwood.
One of the changes will see certain development application fees refunded if decisions on applications take more than a specified amount of time.
For example, zoning bylaw applications have 90 days, Official Plan amendments/zoning bylaw amendments have 120 days and site plan applications have 60 days. More fees will be refunded depending on how long the decisions take and developers could get full refunds depending on timing.
At the municipal level, Valentine noted this is a major problem as most applications require approvals from certain agencies – for example, conservation authorities – whose processes are also backed up, which is beyond the control of the municipality.
This change is planned to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
“The impacts are likely to be significant. Most decisions do not currently meet these legislative time frames,” said Valentine.
While municipalities currently have 30 days to grant site plan approval making 60 days an increase, Valentine said in many cases, it still isn’t enough time.
“You can see how challenging it was to process everything within a 30-day time frame. The 60-day time frame is more realistic, but most municipalities will still struggle to meet that timeline,” she said.
Valentine said “the most transformative change” will be that it will now be mandatory for staff to be delegated to provide approval for site plan applications, removing council from the equation.
This change is planned to go into effect on July 1, and will only impact site plan applications submitted after that date.
“This almost creates two phases of approval, the first for municipal servicing capacity allocations (which includes council), and the second with staff approving the actual application,” said Valentine. “This is a significant alteration to process and could be a concern for members of the public.”
Valentine said council or a committee could still request a presentation on a site plan application for information purposes, however she said the change will limit direct involvement of council in that stage.
Valentine also noted there were parts of the legislation where details have not yet been released, and therefore the impacts are unknown.
“I cannot believe the province is downloading this problem onto the municipalities’ shoulders,” said Hamlin. “It had struck me that the reason there is no rental housing being built is there’s no incentives for rental or moderate-income housing to be built.”
Hamlin referenced the 1980s, where she said she recalled federal funding being pushed to municipalities to encourage building of moderate-income homes and rental housing, and noted that this funding dried up over time.
“We know, right now, we need 900 rental units for people earning between $30,000 and $50,000 a year. These people are the backbone of our community,” said Hamlin. “Now, what do you know? The whole problem is ours.”
“We’re being told we need to speed up our planning process and if we don’t, we’re going to give up our application fees? I find that offensive,” she said.
Hamlin said she wished the province would do more to help municipalities find solutions to the timeline struggles they’re experiencing, rather than download the responsibility.
Coun. Deb Doherty reminded the committee that municipalities have an opportunity to book meetings with the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark at the upcoming Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in August, and that perhaps Collingwood representatives should seize that opportunity.
“I’m going to suggest that maybe we’d like to spend some time with him and talk about Bill 109,” said Doherty. During the meeting, staff said they would take it under advisement to request a meeting with the minister.
The committee also voted unanimously in favour of amending the town’s site plan control bylaw to implement the requirements of Bill 109. Acting Mayor Keith Hull was absent from the meeting.
UPDATE: The decision was ratified by a unanimous vote at the June 27 regular meeting of council.
