NEWS

Opportunities to increase missing middle housing and gentle density, including supports for multigenerational housing

Cornell - Markham

Question 1:

  • What are the biggest barriers and delays to diversifying the types of housing built in existing neighbourhoods?

Response

The question is built on several assumptions – which are unproven:

  1. That the housing price issue can be solved through increasing supply.  Instead we need to address the demand issues, such as land speculation e.g. flipping, vacant housing, the real estate industry practices that force up prices;
  2. That there is a housing shortage when in fact the number of homes increased at a greater rate than population;

Emergency in Ontario

Emergency in Ontario - Rally May 14, 2022

Join the Rally for Communities, Climate & Nature – May 14, 2022, Queen’s Park

Ontario’s environment is under threat.

Greenhouse gas emissions are on the rise again, protections for nature are being dismantled, and mega projects are encroaching on communities.;

This spring we have a chance to choose another path – one that prioritizes people and the planet.

In the lead up to the provincial election, show your support for a flourishing, low-carbon Ontario that offers good green jobs, prioritizes our collective health, and respects Indigenous rights.

Ontario draft transportation plan for Eastern Ontario

Eastern Ontario transportation Map

The Ontario government has released Connecting the East: a draft transportation plan for eastern Ontario, which contains more than 50 near- and long-term actions, including highway expansions and public transit improvements, that will help address gridlock, connect more people to places and support economic growth.

The plan includes the expansion of Highway 417 to four continuous lanes in each direction between Highway 416 and Maitland Avenue in Ottawa, long-term planning work to widen Highway 401 to up to eight lanes in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, improvements to local and inter-community bus services, support for the trucking sector by adding truck stops along Highway 401 and the development of a new marine strategy.

Update on Greenbelt expansion proposal from Province

Line 7 - Oro-Medonte

“We, the 62 undersigned organizations, would like to convey our profound disappointment with the narrow, minimalist and inadequate scope of the government’s proposed expansion to the Greenbelt, as set out in the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) phase 2 consultation. We, and over 6,000 members of the public, participated in good faith in the 2021 consultation. Yet, this input was almost entirely ignored.” Ontario Nature

The province asked for further feedback on the proposed expansion of the Greenbelt, with a deadline of April 23, 2022 for submission. This is the response from Ontario Nature and the 62 organizations, including the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods.

Don’t let the provincial government pave our future

Highway 400 & Finch

Ontario’s election is coming up fast, and at stake is the future we want for our communities.

Former Mayor of Toronto and Greenbelt Council chair David Crombie, and the Friends of the Greater Golden Horseshoe invite you to join them on April 20th at 7 p.m. for an online Call to Action to save – not pave – Ontario’s future.

In the lively discussion you’ll see a compelling array of speakers, and learn more about why highway-based sprawl sacrifices our future – and what we can do to stop it.

Bill 109 – More Homes for Everyone Act

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House construction - Markham

The Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods (Ontario) is an umbrella group of community associations throughout Ontario. As such we maintain a close interest in the changes to provincial planning legislation introduced by the Government. The latest changes amount to another massive overhaul of the planning process and a new set of directives focussed on supply, rather than demand for homes, but in addition, reducing the role of duly elected municipal councils, and attacking residents who devote their time and energy to contribute to their communities’ development.

The Government’s policy changes, including moving forward with Highway 413, and making municipalities designate more farmland for development, have favoured companies looking to build low-density sprawl outside Toronto.

Federation of Citizens Associations Comments on Bill 109

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FCA Concerns regarding Bill 109 – More Homes for Everybody Act, 2022

The Federation of Citizens Associations (FCA) of Ottawa represents 70 community groups in the City of Ottawa. Our members are actively involved in many of the City of Ottawa’s public consultations on planning issues – most recently regarding the development of the City of Ottawa’s new Official Plan. As well, we have followed the progress of the Ontario Task Force on Housing Affordability and provided comments on the Task Force recommendations to the Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing. We now find ourselves responding to Bill 109 – the More Homes for Everybody Act, 2022, which is the government’s response to the Task Force’s recommendations. We wish to bring to your attention 3 major concerns regarding this proposed legislation.

Underwhelming Greenbelt expansion proposal from Province

Greenbelt stream

“This announcement offers no new protection for the lands that need it and ignores the need to expand the Greenbelt in key areas,” said Tim Gray from Environmental Defence. “If this government was serious about Greenbelt protection, it would have added lands threatened by sprawl development. And it would have announced a stop to its plans to build the completely unnecessary and expensive Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass which will go right through the Greenbelt.”

Tim Gray, Environmental Defence

On March 24, 2022, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs released a Greenbelt Expansion proposal plan. Following public consultation to expand the Greenbelt to shield more green space from being developed, the province is proposing the addition of 13 urban river valleys to the Greenbelt, a horseshoe-shaped swath of protected farmlands, wetlands and watersheds around Toronto.

Ontario raises foreign-buyers tax on home purchases to 20 percent

House for sale - Oshawa

The Ontario government has made changes effective March 30, 2022, to the non-resident speculation tax, as part of the action plan on housing. The intent is to increase supply for Ontario residents and discourage foreign speculators looking to turn a quick profit.

  • The tax for foreign homebuyers has been increased to 20 percent. 
  • A loophole has been closed that allowed foreign students and workers to get a tax rebate on real estate purchases.
  • Rebates and other exemptions will still be available for students and workers who become permanent residents of Canada.
  • The tax has been expanded to cover all residential properties across the province.

413 will facilitate massive, destructive sprawl

Holland Marsh over Bradford - aerial view

The proposed Highway 413 will facilitate massive, destructive urban sprawl unless it is stopped.

There is increasing opposition from many individuals and organizations who are gravely concerned about the impacts of this proposed highway. Those concerned include public health, municipal, business, agricultural, environmental and community groups.

Highway 413 alone would be devastating. It would slice through the Greenbelt and destroy over 800 hectares of class 1 and 2 farmland, impact 220 wetlands covering 130 hectares, impact or remove 680 hectares of wildlife habitat including forest, wetland and meadows and create crossings of 85 rivers and streams – including the Humber and Credit River Valleys. Over 1000 hectares of land identified as important for wildlife movement will be removed or intersected.*