News Summary

Ontario’s government has introduced new measures to expedite the construction of homes, with a target to build 1.5 million homes over the next decade. The new legislation aims to standardize development charges, allowing payments to be made at the point of occupancy instead of earlier in the planning process. The measures also limit the number of studies municipalities can request and give the province a direct role in the approvals process. Additional funding of $400 million has been allocated to housing-enabling infrastructure. The Residential Construction Council of Ontario, the Building Industry and Land Development Association, and the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario have all praised the initiative, which aims to address the housing affordability and supply crisis, increase economic activity, and protect jobs in the province.