The OMB, terminated by the former Liberal government, was often criticized for undermining and delaying Toronto development decisions, at times for years, as the appeal process allowed adjudicators to take the application back to its beginnings to consider new evidence from all sides as if the municipality had never made a decision on the matter. Those types of hearings will be reinstated, Clark said.

BILD president Dave Wilkes blamed “long timelines” for development approval and a logjam of appeals at the existing LPAT for adding 10 years to the timeline of a highrise building and 11 years to a lowrise development.

“I think the bottom line here, and it’s a simple one, is that we don’t have enough homes for people that are looking for homes in the area,” he said.

Ontario Home Builders’ Association president Rick Martins said everyone needs to stop pointing fingers and “get the shovels in the ground. What we’re looking to do is where there’s opportunity for intensification, intensify. Where there’s opportunity to create affordable housing, create it,” he said, suggesting those who are homeless can be sheltered.

However, none of the changes announced Thursday would guarantee affordable home prices or rents as part of increasing supply, after the government earlier repealed rent control for new units brought in under the Liberal government.

Among the government’s other proposed changes, Section 37 and parkland dedication funds, the money municipalities charge developers for local improvements, would be consolidated into a single new charge that would also include municipal costs for soft services such as libraries and community centres and the recovery of waste diversion costs. Those changes would come under the auspices of a new Community Benefits Authority.

The province would have broader authority in planning around major transit stations and some employment zones. It would fast-track housing around transit and allow more housing around stable employment zones by permitting mixed-use development in some locations that were formerly reserved for office and industrial building.

Changes to the growth plan to take effect May 16 would simplify minimum intensification and density targets and streamline the process for increasing land supply by adjusting settlement area boundaries.

Tim Hudak, CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association, said he was “really excited” the government adopted several of OREA’s ideas, including better utilizing vacant land. “What I see in the government’s plan today: a lot more room for starter homes, for move-up homes when families’ kids start to get a bit bigger, more rental units,” Hudak said, arguing more supply will provide more affordability, adding the amount of regulatory red tape, taxes and charges has stood in the way.

                                                          Source: The Toronto Star