BUILDING a Stronger durham Together

The Durham Region Home Builders’ Association received a letter from the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism regarding Ontario’s Heritage Framework Transformation (HFT).

This update represents a significant step toward reducing archaeological review delays and improving process certainty for housing and infrastructure projects across Ontario.

Please see the attached Member Release from OHBA on the key changes that are moving forward now.

The Ministry has posted an ERO (https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/026-0216) and comments will be accepted until April 5, 2026.

Further to OHBA’s recent updates regarding Bill C-4 and the removal of the federal portion of the GST for qualifying first-time home buyers, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has confirmed that applications for the new First-Time Home Buyer (FTHB) GST/HST rebate are now open.

The rebate provides eligible first-time home buyers with a full or partial rebate of the GST, or the federal portion of the HST, on newly constructed or substantially renovated homes. Eligible purchasers may receive a rebate of up to $50,000.

Eligibility and Timing

The rebate is available for qualifying purchasers who entered into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale with a builder on or after March 20, 2025. The measure applies to new homes purchased from a builder, substantially renovated homes, and certain owner-built homes.

Applications for the rebate must generally be submitted within two years of taking ownership of the home or completing construction.

Implementation for Builders

Consistent with the existing GST/HST new housing rebate program, builders can credit the FTHB GST/HST rebate to eligible purchasers at closing and submit the completed rebate application to the CRA on the purchaser’s behalf.

For transactions that closed prior to Royal Assent of Bill C-4, builders could not credit the rebate at the time of closing. In these cases, eligible purchasers will need to apply directly to the CRA to receive the rebate.

Where a builder does not credit the rebate, purchasers may also apply directly through their CRA account or by submitting the applicable rebate application form to the CRA.

Additional Information

CRA has published additional guidance on eligibility and the application process, including the required forms for purchasers and builders.

Further details are available here: First-time Home Buyers’ (FTHB) GST/HST Rebate

The Government of Ontario, in its Fall Economic Statement released on November 6, 2025, confirmed its intention to match the federal program once implemented. We understand that there remains an outstanding federal regulation that must be in place before the Ontario portion of the rebate can be implemented.

In addition, there was a change to the retroactive eligibility date during the federal legislative process. While the program was originally announced as applying to agreements entered into on or after May 27, 2025, the final legislation amended the eligibility date to March 20, 2025. This change will also require ratification by the Ontario government prior to implementation.

Ontario has indicated that it has taken the necessary steps on its side to enable the program once the federal regulatory framework is finalized. Regardless of the timing of implementation, the provincial rebate is expected to apply retroactively to eligible agreements entered into on or after March 20, 2025.

We recognize that the delay in implementation may create uncertainty for some consumers; however, eligible purchasers will still be entitled to receive the rebate once the necessary regulatory steps are completed. OHBA will continue to monitor developments and will keep members updated as additional information becomes available.

OHBA will continue to provide updates to members as additional implementation guidance becomes available.

OHBA is providing members with an update following last evening’s confirmation that Bill C-4 has received Royal Assent. The legislation implements the federal government’s commitment to remove the federal portion of the GST on qualifying new homes valued up to $1 million for first-time home buyers, with a phased reduction for homes valued between $1 million and $1.5 million.

The measure comes nearly a year after the federal government first announced its intention to introduce GST relief for first-time buyers.

Implementation Details

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has advised that the required forms to claim the enhanced GST rebate will be available shortly, expected within the next several days. CRA has also indicated that it will be hosting a builder-focused webinar to outline the process and administrative requirements associated with the rebate.

The First-Time Home Buyer (FTHB) GST rebate will apply to qualifying purchasers where the Agreement of Purchase and Sale was entered into on or after March 20, 2025 and before 2031. The March 20, 2025 date reflects the date on which the federal government first announced its intention to introduce GST relief for first-time home buyers. During the legislative process, the eligibility window was aligned with that announcement date to ensure purchasers who entered into agreements following the policy announcement would be eligible for the rebate.

Where ownership of the home transferred prior to Royal Assent, purchasers will be required to apply directly to the CRA to receive the rebate. For transactions moving forward, builders will be able to credit the rebate to eligible purchasers once the CRA forms become available.

Ongoing Advocacy

While this measure represents a first step, OHBA continues to advocate for broader tax relief on all new housing, including the removal of sales taxes on all new homes in order to improve affordability and support increased housing supply.

OHBA and our local HBAs across the province are also continuing to advocate for provincial PST relief on new housing construction. We remain optimistic that the provincial government will include measures to address housing affordability and supply in the upcoming Ontario Budget scheduled to be released on March 26, 2026.

Additional implementation details are expected shortly and will be shared with members as they become available.

At the March 9, 2026 Planning and Development Committee meeting, Clarington Council approved report PDS-013-26 – Planning Act Application Fee Review and User Fee Bylaw Amendment.  Once the new bylaw is approved by Council at the March 23, 2026 council meeting, the new application and user fees will come into effect.

Clarington staff brought their initial review and report to DRHBA for feedback.  Upon review, DRHBA raised concerns that the municipality was using part of the fees to create a reserve fund to be able to fund the planning and development department during down times.  Given that the housing industry is currently struggling, DRHBA felt that increasing fees to create this fund would create another barrier to building and add to the existing affordability crisis.  Through several meetings and collaboration between DRHBA representatives and Clarington staff, the municipality agreed to remove this portion of the fees, effectively reducing the proposed fees by approximately 33%.

Given the current economic climate, this is a big win for members as DRHBA was able to reduce the proposed increase substantially, while the municipality is still able to provide appropriate staffing levels to process applications in a timely manner.

At the March 11 Durham Region Committee of the Whole meeting, councillors will receive a presentation and report on Durham Region Bicycle Parking Guidelines.

Within the presentation, the project goals are outlined as:

• Supporting the regional policy goals in the 2021 Regional Cycling Plan to supporting a more cycling-friendly network
• Addressing gaps and inconsistencies in bike parking design, supply and integration across the Region
• Encouraging mode shift by improving parking availability and accessibility to support short bicycle trips
• Guiding municipal action with clear, data-driven design and maintenance practices.

The full recommendations can be found in the Durham Region Bicycle Parking Guidelines – March 2025.  Some highlights include:

• The Region, local area municipalities (LAMs), partner agencies and developers should prioritize the provision of long-term parking that maximizes security, using solutions such as lockers, cages or secure indoor rooms.
• Provide long-term bicycle parking at…multi-unit residential sites…
• Consider using minimal bicycle parking rates by land use type as a baseline, while allowing flexibility to adjust for local context and future growth.  Where possible, exceed minimums to better meet community standards.
• Integrate bicycle parking early in site planning, development review, and capital projects to ensure facilities are accessible and seamlessly incorporated into the broader site design.
• Local area municipalities without existing bicycle planning guidance should consider developing a Bicycle Parking Review Checklist or incorporating bicycle parking criteria into the Site Plan Application Guidelines to support consistency across developments.

The report also states that the Regional Official Plan encourages local area municipalities to enhance active transportation environments by ensuring that secure bicycle parking is incorporated into new developments and existing public facilities.  It also supports climate change and sustainability objectives by promoting design features such as including sheltered bicycle parking through the site plan approval process.

Recommendations for residential parking supply include:

• Single Family: no short-term or long-term space required.
• Multifamily without a private garage per each unit: one short-term space for every 30 units, minimum recommendation of 4 short-term spaces; and one long-term space for every 2 units, minimum recommendation of 2 long-term spaces.
• Other residential uses: 0.05 spaces per 1,000 m².

Questions of staff can be directed to Chris Leitch, Manager, Transportation Planning.

On Tuesday, March 10^th, the provincial government announced the next phase of its work to modernize Ontario’s conservation authority system, including plans to introduce legislation this spring to consolidate Ontario’s existing conservation authorities into a smaller number of regional entities.

From OHBA:

The Provincial Government has announced the next phase of its work to modernize Ontario’s conservation authority system, including plans to introduce legislation this spring that would significantly restructure how conservation authorities operate across the province.

This announcement follows amendments made in November 2025 to the Conservation Authorities Act, which established the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency with responsibility for providing governance, strategic direction and oversight for conservation authorities. Following those amendments, the province undertook a consultation process through the Environmental Registry of Ontario on proposed regional boundaries and the consolidation of conservation authorities.

OHBA participated in that consultation and provided a formal industry submission outlining the need for improved consistency, clearer governance structures and more efficient permitting processes to better support housing development, respecting local nuances and established relationships while maintaining strong watershed management and natural hazard protection.

According to the government’s announcement, forthcoming legislation would implement the next stage of reform aimed at improving service delivery, reducing duplication and supporting the timely delivery of housing and infrastructure projects.

If passed, the legislation would introduce the following key changes:

• Ontario’s current 36 independent conservation authorities would be consolidated into 9 regional conservation authorities, rather than the 7 that were initially proposed during consultation. The province indicated that the revised model reflects feedback received during the consultation process and better accommodates distinct geographies and development contexts while improving alignment with watersheds and source protection regions.
• The Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency would lead the transition to the new model, with consolidation targeted for early 2027.
• Regional conservation authorities would operate under consistent provincial standards to improve service delivery, information sharing and permitting processes.
• Each regional conservation authority would be required to establish one or more local watershed councils to help identify priorities for watershed-based conservation programs and services.
• Conservation authorities would remain municipally governed, with representation from regional municipalities, counties and cities. Lower-tier municipalities within counties would no longer be participating municipalities under this proposed model.
• Consolidation is intended to reduce administrative duplication and allow conservation authorities to focus more resources on front-line watershed management and natural hazard programs.
• The province will provide $3 million in annual funding to support the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency during the transition period. Following the transition, this funding would support regional conservation authorities as they implement program improvements.

The government has also indicated that consolidation will not change the core responsibilities of conservation authorities. Regional conservation authorities would continue to operate as independent, municipally governed organizations responsible for provincially mandated programs including flood and natural hazard management, watershed management, drinking water source protection under the Clean Water Act, and the management of conservation lands and recreational trails.

The transition process is expected to be led by the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency and is intended to ensure continuity of services during the transition period, including conservation authority staffing, permitting processes and existing partnerships.

The province has also released proposed regional boundaries for the new conservation authority structure.

The province has also indicated that stakeholders will be invited to participate in technical briefings in the coming weeks to provide additional information on the transition process and next steps.

OHBA will continue to monitor the government’s legislative proposal closely and will provide further updates to members as the legislation is introduced and details of the transition process become available.

Members can review the proposed regional boundaries here:  Proposed Boundaries for the Regional Consolidation of Ontario’s Conservation Authorities

A map outlining the planned boundaries for the nine regional conservation authorities is also available here: Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency

The full background announcement from the provincial government can be accessed here: Ontario Taking Next Steps to Improve Conservation Authorities

The Town of Whitby updated their planning and development fees last year.  Included in these fees are deposits that are required for infill projects.

DRHBA has heard from members that these deposits are creating challenges to starting infill projects.  For example, grading and drainage deposits of $20,000 - $40,000, sod deposits of $4,300, etc.

As infill projects are often smaller in scope, large deposit requirements can stall or derail projects.  DRHBA is looking for other builder/developers that are facing the same challenges.  DRHBA will be setting up a meeting with municipal staff to discuss these issues.  If you are impacted by these fees, please reach out to Stacey.

As the province is scheduled to conduct a Greenbelt Plan Review, we are reaching out to members to see if any developers are having issues with the current rules and regulations.

It has been brought to DRHBA’s attention that current policies are preventing the expansion of hamlet boundaries, which is impacting developers’ abilities to create viable communities.  Towns and villages have provisions that allow for rounding out, but these provisions are not available for hamlets.

DRHBA will be working in collaboration with OHBA when the Greenbelt Plan Review begins and we are seeking input from members who may also be experiencing challenges due to the current rules.

If you have any concerns, please contact Stacey.

The City of Pickering is conducting a review of its development application fees, which encompasses planning applications, building permit and engineering fees.

The City has retained Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. to undertake a comprehensive review of the City’s development application fees and provide recommendations for fee structure improvements.  The draft report can be accessed here.

Key changes to the user fees and charges include:

User Fee or Charge	2026 Approved Fee (Excluding HST)	2026 Proposed Fee (Excluding HST)
Pickering Official Plan Amendment – Major	$110,180.00	$95,000.00
Neighbourhood Development Guideline Amendment	$10,000	$20,000
Zoning Bylaw – Removal of Holding	$4,355.00	$10,000.00
MZO Amendment – Major 8	$3,330.00	$18,000.00
Draft Plan of Condominium	$20,715.00	$44,000.00
Common Element Condominium	$29,845.00	$50,000.00
Condominium Conversion	$37,040	$50,000
Revisions to a Draft Approved Plan (Plan of Condominium)	$3,385	$15,000
Application for Severance (creation of new lots)	$4,615	$12,000
-          Plus fee for additional lot created beyond the first new lot	$0	$1,000

Full fee changes can be found in the draft report.

The City of Pickering will be hosting a virtual stakeholder meeting on March 23, 2026 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Watson will lead the session and provide a presentation, followed by a question and answer period.  City staff will also be present.

Following the meeting, the presentation will be shared and a commenting period will be provided up until April 3, 2026.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact Stacey.

The Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA) has announced two important regulatory changes that will positively impact our industry. These updates - one related to Inclusionary Zoning and the other to Planning Act regulations - reflect ongoing advocacy efforts to reduce barriers, lower costs, and streamline housing delivery across the province. Below is an overview of these recent changes and what they mean for builders and renovators in the Durham Region.

1. Province Pauses Inclusionary Zoning Requirements

The first update is a major development for residential builders working in municipalities where Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) policies apply. The Province has amended the Inclusionary Zoning Regulation to implement an official pause on IZ requirements in Toronto, Mississauga, and Kitchener.

You can read the full Inclusionary Zoning Regulation Update here

2. Professional Engineers Now Recognized as a “Prescribed Profession” Under the Planning Act

The second update involves a package of amended and new regulations that officially designate professional engineers as a prescribed profession for the purposes of complete planning applications.

You can read the full Prescribed Profession Regulation Update here

A Meaningful Step Forward for the Home Building Industry

Together, these regulatory updates represent two significant advocacy wins for OHBA and local associations across Ontario. Through ongoing engagement with the Province, industry leaders have emphasized the financial pressures affecting housing delivery, as well as the need for policy decisions grounded in current market reality.
It is encouraging to see the government take steps—both practical and timely—to reduce barriers, improve development timelines, and help ease cost pressures facing builders today.

Next Steps & How Members Can Help

As these changes roll out across municipalities, OHBA and its local associations—including DRHBA—will continue to monitor implementation and keep members informed.
If you become aware of any municipalities with Minister‑designated PMTSAs that are still moving forward with Inclusionary Zoning policies or by‑laws that conflict with the provincial pause, please notify us. OHBA is maintaining an ongoing list to ensure the Province is aware of any areas that may require further regulatory adjustment.