Reversing housing rule changes imposed on Guelph and Wellington County earlier this year stands to hamper the supply and push affordability further out of reach for many residents, say local home builders and developers.
In a joint statement from the Guelph and District Home Builders’ Association (GDHBA) and Guelph Wellington Development Association (GWDA), a spokesperson for the organizations expressed concern about the impact of Monday’s announced reversal.
“Yesterday’s sudden reversal eliminates years of collaboration with our partners at the province and the municipalities and will drastically impact our industry’s ability to deliver these much needed new homes,” stated GDHBA president Josh Kaufman in the release.
The provincial government has a stated target of seeing 1.5 million new homes built throughout Ontario by 2031. Of those, 18,000 were assigned to Guelph. No target was given to the county.
On Monday, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra said legislation will be introduced to reverse the changes made in April.
Chief among those changes is the allowance of 23-storey buildings throughout much of the Downtown Guelph area and beyond, as well as expanding the urban boundaries of Elora and Fergus, along with Rockwood and Clifford.
Guelph mayor Cam Guthrie also expressed worry about the reversal and lamented time lost in efforts to sooth the housing crisis, while county warden Andy Lennox praised the reversal as a step toward greater local planning.
Since the new rules were put in place, GDHBA and GWDA members have been working to align their plans with them, the news release states.
“Abrupt reversals, such as yesterday's, not only create an atmosphere of uncertainty for businesses and investors but could end crucial housing projects which add additional inventory to the market, further deepening the crisis,” the release reads.
“This unexpected reversal has the potential to reshape the housing landscape for years to come. Our associations stand committed to collaborating with the province, the municipalities, and other stakeholders to navigate these challenging times and ensure every Ontarian has access to housing.”
