Interventions in municipal land use planning, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area, by the government of Ontario Premier Doug Ford over the past five years set in motion an enormous, unplanned experiment in what happens when the development industry is given almost everything it wants in a region subject to intense urban growth pressures.

The results of that experiment are now becoming apparent, and they are not good.

Groups frustrated by the Ford government’s “sledgehammer” approach limiting development appeals say they’re now powerless to prevent urban sprawl, loss of farmland, and squandered green space in the province.

Among other changes, Ontario’s Bill 185, known as the “Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act” limits third-party challenges to municipal plans and zoning heard by the Ontario Land Tribunal and dismissed appeals scheduled after April 10. The new rules were introduced by the provincial government to expedite construction of 1.5 million homes by 2031.

A new type of home called a fourplex is being hailed as the answer to Canada’s acute housing shortage. But why is there so much opposition?

Angela Jiang says she is much happier since she moved out of a high-rise apartment building.

She used to live on the 68th floor of a condo tower in downtown Toronto, but five years ago she relocated to a four-unit residential building called a fourplex, in the city’s more low-rise midtown area.

Bill 185, released on April 10, 2024 affects 17 acts, including the Planning Act, City of Toronto Act, Development Charges Act, and others. Bill 185 has reached second reading and was referred to the Province’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. On April 10th, the Province also released a revised Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 (the “Planning Statement”) and a new Minister Zoning Order (MZO) framework. The Planning Statement, which if adopted, will replace the existing Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 (the “PPS”) and include some policies from A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (the “Growth Plan”). The Growth Plan is proposed to be repealed. The Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods opposes most of the proposed changes.

While FUN supports the stated goals of encouraging an increased mix and supply of housing, protecting of the environment, creating jobs and a strong economy, reducing barriers and costs for development, and providing greater predictability, we note that many of the proposed policies pay only lip service to these goals. Several proposed policies undermine the government’s professed commitment to orderly growth management, for example policies such as:

• loosening environmental standards;
• further facilitating sprawl by increasing the opportunities for settlement boundary changes;
• further facilitating sprawl by increasing the opportunities for settlement boundary changes;
• lowering the protection of employment lands by allowing conversions outside of the municipal review process;

In Canada, after an election first ministers write mandate letters to their cabinet colleagues, laying out deliverables their departments should achieve. Some governments make them public (Trudeau, McGuinty and Wynne in Ontario), but others don’t (Harper, Ford). A newly-elected government traditionally outlines its program in its platform and speech from the throne; mandate letters may be more specific. Even if they are not made public, they can provide direction to the bureaucracy. If made public, they can be used to hold the government accountable.

Two years ago, hundreds of Peel residents descended on regional council to voice their opposition to a massive urban boundary expansion that would pave the way for 11,000 acres of prime agricultural land and greenspace to be bulldozed for future development.

This summer, those same residents, along with millions across the province, learned the startling truth behind what happened. Doug Ford’s PC government had worked secretly with developers to force urban boundary expansions throughout southern Ontario, compelling towns and cities to bend to their profit-driven policies.

OPINION: Shedding light on government finances is never a bad idea. Here’s hoping audits will spur a necessary discussion about how Ontario cities raise revenue and from whom.Over the summer, the Ford government announced the selection of a third-party auditor to investigate the finances of six municipalities — including Toronto — with an eye to clarifying the impacts of its recent housing legislation on city finances.

Update – December 13, 2023 – Ontario cancels municipal audits launched to understand impacts of its housing laws