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BUILDING DURHAM


  • December 08, 2021 2:33 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    As per Town of Whitby By-Law #7748-21, development charge rates will be indexed on February 1, 2022. Based on the 2021 (third quarter) Statistics Canada Non-Residential Construction Price Index for Toronto, development charge rates are set to increase by 11.6% on February 1, 2022. The new Town of Whitby development charge rates effective February 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 are shown below.

    Additional information regarding development charges can be found the Town of Whitby Development Charge webpage.

    Please note, development charge payments made before February 1, 2022 must have the applicable building permit(s) issued no later than 60 days after the payment has been received; otherwise a top-up payment will be required, equal to the difference between the old and new development charge rates for the Town of Whitby.

    Residential Development Type

    (per unit)

    Town of Whitby Posted Development Charge Rate - Feb 1, 2022 to Jan 31, 2023
    Category A
    Single/Semi Detached
     $39,969.54

    Category B
    Large Townhome

     $30,462.34
    Category C
    Small Townhome/Large Apartment
     $16,780.18
    Category D
    Small Apartment
     $12,822.84
    Category E
    Special Care/Special Needs
     $11,398.82


    The posted development charges may not apply to any calculated development charge rates determined as per section 26.2 of the Development Charges Act, 1997.

    The rates shown above, do not include any Region of Durham or DDSB/DCDSB development charges that may also be payable.

    For additional information please email developmentcharges@whitby.ca.


  • December 08, 2021 2:19 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Province funding free classroom and on-the-job training in residential construction industry.

    The Ontario government is investing almost $3 million to give 166 jobseekers free training and work experience in residential construction across the province. The Job-Ready Program, led by the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA), will connect trainees with rewarding and well-paying careers in carpentry, drywall installation, cement working, framing, and heavy equipment operation. This announcement follows the more than $1.5 billion our government has committed over the next four years to get more people into the skilled trades and help solve the housing crisis.

    “The residential construction industry and its workers build a critical part of our communities – the homes that families across Ontario can call their own,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “As more of these workers retire, we need talented people to fill their boots. Our government is giving people a hand up to well-paying, meaningful careers so they can build better lives for themselves and more homes for us all.”

    Program participants will learn about general home building techniques, how to work with power tools, how to of different products in construction, and health and safety on the job. Training will last up to eight months and will be delivered in the classroom and on construction job sites from experienced tradespeople. Virtual training is also available. The project also supports employers currently looking for new talent by helping them with training and providing incentives to hire program graduates.

    “While our government’s housing policies are working to address the province’s housing crisis, home prices are still far out of reach for so many Ontarians and their families,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “As Ontario enters a period of economic recovery, our government is working hard to get shovels into the ground to create jobs and build the supply of housing our province needs, to make housing more affordable for all hardworking Ontarians.”

    The province is projected to face a shortfall of more than 100,000 construction workers over the next several years, many of which are for positions in residential home building.The OHBA is working with home builder associations and community partners across Ontario to identify regions and employers most in need of skilled workers in residential construction to take part in the program. Participating employers can hire job-ready talent at the end of the program and will be reimbursed up to 30 per cent of the employee’s pay to a maximum of $3,000.

    “The Job-Ready Program is an important support to help bring eager entry-level employees into Ontario’s home construction sector,” said OHBA President Bob Schickedanz. “With 166 participants in the program and over 40 per cent of those from underrepresented groups, the Job-Ready Program through the provincial Skills Development Fund is helping unlock new opportunities for in-demand and rewarding careers in communities across Ontario.”

    This funding is part of the government’s Skills Development Fund to address challenges to hiring, training, and retraining workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This builds on the government’s ongoing efforts to attract, support, and protect workers, making Ontario the top place in the world to work, live and raise a family.



  • December 08, 2021 2:13 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The provincial government is extending its Worker Income Protection Benefit program, which provides paid sick days, until July 31, 2022.  In addition, the province is extending temporary changes to the Employment Standards Act that prevent temporary layoffs of non-unionized employees from becoming unwanted terminations.  This measure will now be extended until July 30, 2022.  The full news release can be read here.

    The full website on the Worker Income Protection Benefit Program can be found here with all relevant details which members should review. Members should contact the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, if they require assistance with the process for submitting claims.

    WSIB Claim for Reimbursement Portal

    Members can find the portal here for submitting a claim for reimbursement. A reminder that employers are entitled to be reimbursed the amount of infectious disease emergency leave pay that they paid to their employees, up to $200 per employee per day taken, with a maximum of 3 days per employee.

    Check the status of your claim

    Once you submit your claim you will receive a claim confirmation number. You can check your claim status with the WSIB for an up-to-date view on the progress of your claim.

    Payment Schedule

    It is expected that it will take approximately two weeks to process an approved claim. The timing of payment depends on the completeness and complexity of the claim.

    Get help

    For specific-claim related inquiries once you have a claim confirmation number or technical issues with submitting a claim, please request support and a claims specialist will reach out to you. For more general information on eligibility criteria, how to apply and program rules, please call the Ontario COVID-19covid 19 Worker Income Protection Benefit Information Centre 1-888-999-2248 ( TTY: 1-866-567-8893).



  • December 08, 2021 9:30 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The City of Pickering has retained Watson & Associates to undertake an update to the 2017/2018 full cost assessment to inform updated fee recommendations for planning and building permit applications.

    The purpose of the update is to reflect increases in complexity in the planning application review processes, and increases in costs associated with administering and enforcing the Ontario Building Code.  It is anticipated that the recommendations from the current update will be completed for Council's consideration as part of the City's annual budget process.  Should there be any recommended changes in fees resulting from this completed assessment, staff would anticipate recommending phasing such fees with an effective date of July 1, 2022.  

    To help recover the City's immediate costs for reviewing and processing applications, as an interim measure, staff are recommending to Council that building permit and planning application fees be increased by 5% and 10%, respectively, effective January 4, 2022.  This report will be considered at the December 13th Council meeting.  According to staff, these fee increases are within the established full cost of service, and maintains the City's overall competitive position as compared to other municipalities within Durham Region and the GTA.

    For the past several years, the City of Pickering has annually increased building permit fees by about 3% to reflect annual inflation costs.  More recently, the City has been experiencing significant growth, particularly in the City Centre and Seaton, as well as a number of subdivisions throughout the municipality.  Staff have noted that this growth, coupled with evolving market conditions, has led to applications with increased complexity.  This has prompted an increase in staff time and resources to process building permit applications and to administer the requirements of the OBC.

    Additionally, the pandemic created financial and operational challenges for the City, and in order to adapt, the City looked at new ways of conducting business.  One positive outcome was a shift to paperless building permit applications.  In 2020, the City's Building Services Section launched a digital submission application process for all building permits, and similarly, the Planning & Design Division has also transitioned to electronic submission of applications and supporting material.

    Staff have indicated that while there has been no slowdown in development activity, a review of the City's year end application revenue intake has identified that they are not recovering their costs, despite their annual fee indexing.

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


  • December 08, 2021 8:47 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The Town of Whitby is proposing a significant increase to engineering fees as outlined in Report PW 43-21.

    As outlined in the report, some fees are increasing by as much as 503%.  The Town says that the increases are needed to fund hiring more full time staff to provide reviews of plans, as Whitby is expecting a large increase in demand as west and north Whitby begin development.  Staff also note that the fees have not increased since 2014.

    The fee increases can be seen in the table below:

    Fee Title

    Current Fee

    Proposed Fee

    29. Site Alteration Permits Application Fee

    Small Site Alteration

    $545.00

    $2,741.00

    Large Site Alteration

    $1,090.00

    $5,482.00

    Subdivision Review Design & Inspection Fees

    Up to $200,000

    Greater of 5.2% or $5,125.00

    7.86%

    $200K -$500K

    Greater of $10,660 or 4.6%

    6.95%

    $500K - $1 million

    Greater of $23,575 or 3.9%

    5.89%

    $1 million - $2 million

    Greater of $39,975 or 3.3%

    4.99%

    $2 million - $3 million

    Greater of $67,650 or 2.9%

    4.38%

    $3 million and up

    Greater of $89,175 or 2.6%

    3.93%

    Site Plan Engineering Fees

    Greater of:

    Up to $200,000

    $5,125 or 5.2%

    12.38%

    $200K - $500K

    $10,660 or 4.6%

    10.95%

    $500K - $1 million

    $23,575 or 3.9%

    9.28%

    $1 million - $2 million

    $39,975 or 3.3%

    7.86%

    $2 million - $3 million

    $67,650 or 2.9%

    6.90%

    Over $3 million

    $89,175 or 2.6%

    6.19%


    The Durham Region Home Builders' Association submitted a letter to the Committee of the Whole meeting, held on Monday, December 6, 2021.  The letter brought the scope of the increase into focus for councillors, who questioned the need for such a substantial increase.

    While the report passed at the Committee of the Whole, staff were directed to meet with representatives of DRHBA ahead of the next council meeting.

    It is DRHBA's hope that through discussions with the Town that the fee increases can be reduced, as these types of high fees contribute to the affordability crisis impacting the housing industry.

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



  • December 07, 2021 3:42 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The Town of Ajax has just released new documents on their Draft Green Development and Environmental Design Guideline (GDEDG) and is looking for feedback from the building and development community.

    Their Draft Green Development and Environmental Design Guidelines Report describes their process and justification for identifying Impact Categories and metrics to be included in their municipal green standard.

    The Guidebook contains all of the proposed metrics, requirements and information on implementation.  There are separate metrics for Low-Density Residential vs. Mid- to High-Density Residential/Non-Residential.

    The Checklist Tool has been created by the municipality to help proponents during their development application review process.

    Similar to the Town of Whitby, Ajax is proposing a tiered approach that includes Tier 1 (mandatory) and Tier 2 (voluntary).

    As this program is still in draft format, there is still time for builders and developers to provide feedback.  The final guidelines will be brought to council for approval in Q2 of 2022.

    More information can be found on the Town's GDEDG Project Webpage

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



  • December 06, 2021 2:30 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The Durham Region Home Builders' Association has won the 2020 EnerQuality HBA of the Year Award.

    The Association was recognized for their work on the OHBA Job Ready Program, its work in sustainable building practices as well as the virtual accommodations put in place to keep builders engaged through 2020.

    On November 30th, 2021, EnerQuality recognized the lasting and positive impact that Canadian builders are making though their commitment to constructing energy-efficient homes.

    2020 was a record year for certifying energy efficient homes, with this year's additions reaching a total of over 100,000 homes certified to date as delivering the benefits of the Energy Star label - built more than 15% better than the building code.  Net Zero and Net Zero Ready homes are also contributing to steady growth in energy efficient buildings.  In building energy efficient homes to established certifications - including Energy Star, EnerGuide and Net Zero, EnerQuality's community of builders has helped Ontario homeowners save $258 million in lifetime energy costs, reduce over 1 MT of CO2e, and shrink greenhouse gas emissions and overall environmental footprint.

    The EnerQuality Awards also recognized the OHBA and EnerQuality teams on the 100th job placement in the OHBA Job Ready Program.  The OHBA Job Ready program matches eager job seekers from underrepresented groups with starter jobs in the construction industry - jobs from general construction labour to pre-trades roles and office positions supporting builders, manufacturers and service companies.  Employees receive basic safety training to introduce participants to a career in the construction industry.

    “Ontario builders are committed to building better. Hiring job seekers with transferable skills who are eager to learn on the job is also part of building better,” says Monica Curtis, EnerQuality President and CEO. “By building more efficient homes and hiring a more representative workforce, the province’s construction industry is meeting the twin challenges of environmental sustainability and diversity and inclusion.”

    In its second year as a virtual event, over 200 building professionals joined the event online, representing HBAs, municipalities, and over 100 companies, including home builders, architects, engineers, energy advisors, building officials, tradespeople, manufacturers, and product and service providers.

    This year’s event featured the Innovation Gauntlet – an exciting pitch session where manufacturers present their new solutions to optimize the high-performance new construction and renovation industry — and attendees voted on the most innovative new solution.

    “Builders are committed to building better and creating innovative, energy-efficient homes they are proud of, and homeowners seek out,” says Rose Benedetto, Managing Director of EnerQuality. “This drive is matched by the ability of leading manufacturers to anticipate the market direction, as shown by the finalists in the Innovation Gauntlet.”

    The event draws nominations from across the building industry, with builders, licensed professionals, and energy advisors from over a dozen Ontario HBAs represented. The winners also show a cross-section of the building industry with newer builders alongside established, generational building companies.

    “Increasingly, homeowners’ consciousness about their environmental footprint shapes their housing priorities. The EQ Awards showcase how the industry is building homes that use less energy, are more comfortable, with better indoor air quality and lower emissions overall,” says Ms. Curtis. “As the market shifts to focus on carbon, we expect to see even more builders certifying their homes and building better than code.”

    2020 EQ Award Winners:

    • Best Green Marketing: Terra View Homes
    • Builder Achievement: Doug Tarry - Doug Tarry Ltd.
    • Building Innovation – Low: Far Sight Homes – Beeton Creek
    • Champion Of the Year: Marc Huminilowycz – Sideroad Communications
    • Enbridge – Optimum Home: Mattamy Homes Canada
    • Enbridge – Savings by Design (Affordable): Spotlight Developments Inc.
    • Enbridge – Savings by Design (Commercial): Drewlo Holdings
    • Enbridge – Savings by Design (Residential): Dietrich Homes
    • Energy Advisor of The Year: Huso Ashimi – Building Knowledge Canada
    • EnerQuality’s ENERGY STAR® For New Homes – Large Volume Builder: Activa
    • EnerQuality’s ENERGY STAR® For New Homes – Mid Volume Builder: Huron Creek Developments
    • EnerQuality’s ENERGY STAR® For New Homes – Small/Custom Builder: Terra View Homes
    • Green Renovation Project of The Year: RND Construction Ltd. – Art Deco
    • HBA of the Year: Durham Region HBA
    •  Impact Award: Tamarack Homes
    • Industry Partner of the Year: Owens Corning Canada
    • Industry Partner of the Year: Panasonic Canada
    • Industry Partner of the Year: Mitsubishi Electric Heating & Cooling
    • Leader of the Year: Susan Cudahy – Enbridge Gas Inc.
    • Licensed Professional of The Year: Wil Beardmore – Bluewater Energy
    • Net Zero Builder: Terra View Homes – Hart Village
    • Ontario Green Builder of The Year – Low-Rise: Minto Communities Canada
    •  Ontario Green Builder of The Year – Mid/High-Rise: Doug Tarry Ltd.
    • Product Innovation – Low-Rise (OBC Part 9): Panasonic Canada Inc. - Nanoe™ X Technology
    • Product Innovation – High-Rise (OBC Part 3): SageGlass – SageGlass Harmony
    • Rising Star Award: Austin Todd – Evergreen Building Science
    • People’s Choice: Great Gulf
    • Innovation Gauntlet: Panasonic Canada Inc. and Swidget Corporation - Panasonic and Swidget Smart Ventilation Solution


  • December 02, 2021 8:56 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


  • December 01, 2021 7:43 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Click the link below to learn who your Enbridge Residential New Construction representative in Durham Region is.


    https://www.enbridgegas.com/-/media/4382165F47ED483881CCC48398EB0ECC.ashx 



  • November 28, 2021 5:46 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    At today's Development Services committee meeting, staff will be bringing forward Report DS-21-226, meant to address the 2019 Report - DS-19-200 Regarding the Construction of New City Parks in New Subdivisions and Motion DS-21-134 Policy Regarding the Competition of Area Parks and Trails.

    After consulting with stakeholders, including the Durham Region Home Builders' Association, the staff recommendation to the Development Services Committee is:

    1. That, pursuant to Report DS-21-226 dated November 24, 2021, the City maintain its current policies that relate to the timing of development of new neighbourhood parks in new subdivisions and that enables developers to request that Council authorize the developer to finish the park including any playground facilities and appropriate park furniture.
    2. That, pursuant to Report DS-21-226 dated November 24, 2021, the City maintain its current policy that requires developers to construct trails in new subdivisions in a timely manner, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, Development Services Department and the Commissioner, Community Services Department.

    Background Information

    In 2019, Oshawa's Development Services Committee passed two resolutions in relation to parks in new subdivisions.

    DS-19-200 Notice of Motion - Construction of New City Parks

    "That the Commissioner,  Development Services Department draft a policy for council to review and determine implementing that will ensure new city parks are constructed at the same time new subdivision roads are constructed in order that new residents are best served in a timely way with park amenities."

    DS-21-134 Notice of Motion - Policy Regarding the Completion of Area Parks and Trails

    "Whereas the most effective time to complete parks and trails is early in a development project; 

    Now therefore staff develop the wording of a clear policy that ensures builder/developers are responsible for the timely completion of area parks and trails in new residential development so that any growing dissatisfaction from delays are avoided."

    These motions were intended to require developers to construct Parkettes and Neighbourhood Parks at the same time as all other features of the subdivision.  Currently, a developer must provide a base park (i.e. grading, sodding and servicing), and request to finish a park and would be reimbursed by the City for the finishing.

    DRHBA submitted letters in 2019 (updated March 24, 2021) and in August of 2021.



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