GuelphToday received the following Letter to the Editor from Guelph and District Association of REALTORS President Dillon Fraser in regards to Bill 156 that MPP Mike Schreiner has introduced in the Ontario Legislature:
Ontario has a housing affordability crisis, and young families are paying the price for a lack of home building. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), there were a total of 85,770 housing starts in the province in 2023 well short of the province’s goal of 110,000 housing starts. We are not building enough homes to meet the current demand and unless something changes, prices will stay stubbornly high as tens of thousands of new Canadians flock to our province in search of a better future.
A generationally-entrenched problem demands bold solutions. In the coming weeks, Ontario is expected to introduce new housing legislation. As part of this latest round of policy measures, the Ford government has a duty to take decisive action. That must include adopting MPP Mike Schreiner’s proposals in Bill 156 to end exclusionary zoning in Ontario.
Ending exclusionary single-family zoning by legalizing other forms of housing is not a new policy measure. Permitting as-of-right zoning is a progressive housing policy change implemented by many other municipalities in Ontario including London, Guelph, Waterloo, Kitchener, Toronto, Burlington, and Mississauga. By removing the need to navigate planning red tape and special approvals, as-of-right zoning encourages more building of the kinds of homes families can afford.
Despite the progress, resistance in some parts of the province remains. Windsor, for instance, recently turned up its nose at a chance to allow four units as-of-right on the same lot. In the process, it gave up a whopping $70 million in federal funding. In the thick of a historic affordability crisis, protecting exclusionary zoning is about as logical as a screen door on a submarine.
The Ford government has already sanctioned three units as-of-right on residential lots through Bill 23, and many cities are adopting policies for up to four units, spurred by the federal government’s housing accelerator fund. Instituting a uniform rule across Ontario to permit multiplexes would eliminate the politically charged debates that lead to inconsistent municipal policies regarding affordable family housing.
Ending exclusionary zoning would also acknowledge Ontarians strong support for the environment including the Green Belt. Ontario must work harder to unleash infill building in every city in the province. Infill developments leverage existing services, infrastructure, and amenities. Encouraging more infill gentle density also encourages better use of public transit and reduces the need for additional cars on the road.
Finally, elected leaders should not forget that millennials will decide the next Ontario election. As one of the groups that is being hurt the most by the housing affordability crisis, millennials are increasingly looking to their elected leaders for action. Ending exclusionary zoning in Ontario would send a clear signal to this dominant voting group that the provincial government is willing to take a stand on an issue that matters to them. Inaction will increasingly demonstrate that the government is not serious when it comes to solving the housing supply crisis.
Exclusionary zoning is increasingly like a giant padlock on the dream of home ownership where only a wealthy few can afford to have a key. If Ontario really wants to get it done for the thousands of families looking to achieve their dreams of owning a home without breaking the bank, it should rally behind MPP Schreiner's bill and put an end to exclusionary zoning.
Dillon Fraser
President, Guelph & District Association of REALTORS®
