BUILDING DURHAM

The Region of Durham is currently undergoing a Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR), and there are opportunities for engagement.

Proposed Policy Directions (Stage 3-Direct) - survey responses and comments accepted until June 30, 2021

On March 2, 2021, the Planning & Economic Development Committee received the Proposed Policy Directions (Report #2021-P-7). The Proposed Policy Directions present potential additions and changes to land use planning policies, and public input is being requested. The proposed directions are not intended to be exhaustive but introduce certain directions where further input is being sought before draft policies are introduced within a proposed new Regional Official Plan. For additional details, please review the full report here

Comments on the Proposed Policy Directions are being requested by June 30, 2021 (a 120-day commenting period).

The Proposed Policy Directions were developed and informed based on best practice reviews, research, public engagement and feedback received during Stages 1 (“Discover”) and 2 (“Discuss”) of the Envision Durham process. They are also intended to respond to submissions received through Stage 2, a summary of which can be viewed here.

To solicit feedback on the Proposed Policy Directions, an online survey was developed to help facilitate input. Each proposed policy direction has been highlighted by report section, with a corresponding “poll” survey, and specific comments can be provided directly into the survey for each proposed direction. For additional details, please visit the survey here.

Comments may also be submitted via email to EnvisionDurham@durham.ca or sent to the attention of: Envision Durham, c/o The Regional Municipality of Durham, Planning and Economic Development Department, 605 Rossland Road East, PO Box 623, Whitby, Ontario, L1N 6A3.

Growth Management Study (Stage 3-Direct) - Settlement Area Boundary Expansion requests (submissions accepted until May 31, 2021)

As a key component of Envision Durham, a Growth Management Study (GMS) is being completed in two phases. The first phase of the GMS focuses on the completion of a Land Needs Assessment (LNA). The LNA is a comprehensive review and calculation of the Region’s land base, including existing urban areas, to determine how the Growth Plan population and employment forecasts can be accommodated and how much, if any, additional urban land is required. The second phase of the GMS, if required, will focus on determining the most appropriate location for Urban Boundary expansions.

Any required Settlement Area boundary expansion will be considered through the GMS (Phase 2), after the completion of the LNA. The LNA, which determines the amount of urban land required to accommodate the 2051 growth forecasts, is currently underway.

To inform this work, a 90-day submission window for new and/or amended requests for Settlement Area boundary expansions will allow proponents the opportunity to respond to or address the criteria identified within Settlement Area Boundary Expansion section and Appendix C: Settlement Area Boundary Expansion – Evaluation Criteria of the Proposed Policy Directions report released March 2, 2021.

Submissions:

New and/or amended requests for Settlement Area boundary expansions are now being accepted (during a 90-day submission window). The final date to submit a Settlement Area boundary expansion request for consideration through Envision Durham will be May 31, 2021.

When making a submission, stakeholders should:

• Include any supporting documentation, having regard for the criteria outlined in the Settlement Area Boundary Expansion section and Appendix C: Settlement Area Boundary Expansion – Evaluation Criteria of the Proposed Policy Directions report, including clear mapping of the subject property and a description of the proposed land use and built form that is to be considered, including unit count by dwelling type and non-residential floor space, if possible.
• Direct the request in an electronic format to EnvisionDurham@durham.ca.

On March 1, 2021 at the Finance and Administration Committee meeting, Oshawa hosted a public meeting on their development charge bylaw amendment.

Their consultant, Watson & Associates, made a presentation at the meeting.

The net result of the amendment is an increase of:

• $1,020 for single and semi-detached
• $1,283 for duplex (for 2 units)
• $641 for apartments 2 or more bedrooms
• $395 for apartments bachelor and 1 bedroom
• $824 for townhouse dwelling
• $352 for lodging house (per unit)

The changes and new amounts can be viewed here:

The bylaw was amended to reflect the recent amendments to the Development Charges Act made through the More Homes, More Choice Act and the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, including:

• Changes to the D.C. recoverable costs, i.e. removable of the 10% statutory deduction for soft services;
• Creation of a class of service for Growth-Related Studies; 
• Changes to DC collection policies for installment payments and charges determined at the time of application for Site Plan or Zoning By-law Amendment; and
• Changes to the statutory exemptions for residential intensification.

The amended bylaw will be brought to council on March 29, 2021.

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

Enbridge & Building Knowledge Canada are hosting webinars to help builders and HVAC contractors with the commissioning and verification of their furnaces.  These webinars will help inform you of the coming changes and shorten the learning curve.

At the Builder Set Up & Commissioning Verification Process Training, you will learn the new process coming April 1, 2021, including:

• New setup and commissioning process
• New form and how to access/order
• How to avoid commissioning related B-Tags going forward

There are three training sessions being offered:

• March 10, 2021 - 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Register
• March 18, 2021 - 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Register
• March 25, 2021 - 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - Register

For more information, click here.

With the recent changes at Tarion as a result of the launch of the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA), Tarion is hosting Q&A sessions during which you can ask questions to better understand these new changes.

Below are the links to register/join one of these sessions.  Upon registration, you will receive an email with the link to the session you have registered for.  You can register right up until the session starts.

Builder Question & Answer Session - Recent Changes

March 5, 2021 - 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Register

March 12, 2021 - 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Register

March 19, 2021 - 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Register

Please be aware that any specific HCRA question will need to be addressed by the HCRA at info@hcraontario.ca.

Recently Tarion has received a number of questions related to Unavoidable Delays, and in an effort to assist you, Tarion is hosting two webinars on information related to understanding unavoidable delays.

Each webinar will feature a short presentation and a question and answer session.

Please see the links below to register for these upcoming sessions.  Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with the link to the webcast you have registered for.

Builder Information Session: Unavoidable Delays

March 9, 2021 - 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Register

March 12, 2021 - 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Register

Tarion is working with our industry partners to find solutions to address the increasing concerns for the safety of homeowners and builders.  Remember, you can visit Tarion's website for all of our COVID-19 resources for builders.

If you have a COVID-19 related questions that isn't answered by their available -resources, you can reach out to their COVID-19 response team by emailing COVID19@tarion.com or by calling - 1-877-982-7466.

On Friday, February 26, 2021, OHBA hosted a technical committee meeting that featured a presentation by Michael Lio of buildABILITY: "Guidance for the OBC 2022 Requirements for Stairs, Guards and Handrails."

Amendments to the stairs, guards and handrails provisions will come into force on January 1, 2022.

Part of the amendments to the code include new definitions for flight, run and tapered tread.  These new definitions are:

• Flight - a series of steps between landings
• Run - the horizontal distance between two adjacent tread nosings on a stair.
• Tapered Tread - a tread with non-parallel edges that increases or decreases its run uniformly over its width.

Key Changes

Spiral Stairs

In Section 9.8.3.1 is the introduction of (c) spiral stairs, added as a permission.  This is in addition to the previous (a) straight flights and (b) curved flights.  This addition comes with requirements, as outlined in 9.8.4.5A. Spiral Stairs:

a)      handrails on both sides, the outer handrail being not less than 1,070 mm high,

b)      a clear width not less than 660 mm between handrails,

c)      risers that are not more than 240 mm high,

d)     treads that,

 i.         are a minimum of 190 mm deep at a point 300 mm from the centre line of the inside handrail,

 ii.      have a consistent angle and uniform dimension, and

 iii.      turn in the same direction, and

e)      a clear height not less than 1,980 mm.

In addition,

2.  Spiral stairs conforming to Sentence (1) are permitted to be used as the only means of egress where they serve not more than 3 persons.

3.  Except as permitted by Sentence (2), spiral stairs shall not serve as an exit.

Runs

In the new code that will come into effect in January of 2022, the minimum run for rectangular treads has increased from 210 mm (8 1/4") to 255 mm (10").

This change has been a long time in the making, as the code change request was made in 1992, and was introduced in the NBCC in 2015.

Prior to implementing these changes, the National Research Council's Joint Task Group on Step Geometry did a substantial amount of research, and consulted many data sources, including:

• Most recent data available
• Canadian data and research
• International data and research
• Common practice

Canada already has some of the steepest stairs worldwide, with a max stair steepness of 44°, compared to the UK at 42°, the US and Australia at 38°.

When looking into fall injuries, the National Research Council's Assessment of Health Burdens found that:

• 21%  of all unintentional falls resulting in severe injuries are stair-related falls
• 82% of stair falls occur in residential settings.

In 2012, residential stair incidents included:

• 314 deaths
• 8,822 hospitalizations (including 820 brain injuries)
• 97,045 ER visits with no hospital admission
• $476 million in direct healthcare spending

It is noted that step geometry is the most critical factor relating to falls.  The research shows that shorter runs result in loss of balance, slipping off steps and missteps by tripping, overstepping, heel scuff, crabbing and foot overhang, while larger runs offer more space for better foot placement and larger foot sizes, and create greater margins of stability.  Canadian studies have shown that there is no direct correlation between fall incidence and rise (between 7" and 8"), but there is a direct correlation between fall incidence and run.  The new rise dimensions are estimated to reduce falls by 64%.

The new dimensions for runs will have an impact on the floor area.  The change will require an additional 6.3 square feet for 8-foot ceilings and 7.3 square feet for 9-foot ceilings.  It is estimated that over 118,000 starts, the economic impact will be $267 million for 8-foot ceilings and $290 million for 9-foot ceilings.

Tapered Treads

Section 9.8.4.3 - Dimensions for Tapered Treads has also been amended, and now reads as follows:

1.      tapered treads shall have a run that,

b.  complies with the dimensions for rectangular treads specified in Table 9.8.4.1. (i.e. 255 mm) when measured at a point 300 mm from the centre line of the inside handrail.

4.   Tapered treads in a flight shall have a uniform run in accordance with the tolerances described in Sentence (3) when measured at a point 300 mm from the centre line of the inside handrail.

a.      5 mm between adjacent treads, and

b.      10 mm between the deepest and shallowest treads in a flight.

Section 9.8.4.4A. Uniformity of Runs in Flights with Mixed Treads within a House or Dwelling Unit has been amended to as follows:

1.    where a flight consists of both tapered treads and rectangular treads, all the treads shall have a uniform run when measured at a point 300 mm from the centre line of the inside handrail.

2.      where tapered treads are located at the bottom of a mixed-tread flight of the run of the tapered treads when measured at a point 300 mm from the centre line of the inside handrail is permitted to exceed the run of the rectangular treads.

Section 9.8.3.1. Straight and Curved Runs in Stairs has been amended to read:

2. (b) flights with a mix of rectangular and tapered treads provided all tapered treads within a flight turn in the same direction.

Handrails

Section 9.8.7.1. Required Handrails has been amended to:

5.  Except for stairs with winders, where a flight of stairs within a house or an individual dwelling unit consists of tapered treads, or a mix of tapered treads and rectangular treads, one handrail shall be installed along the narrow end of the treads.

Section 9.8.7.4. Height of Handrails has been amended to:

Handrails shall be 865 mm to 1070 mm high (from 965 mm).

Section 9.8.7.5. Ergonomic Design has been amended to:

1.  The clearance between a handrail and any surface behind it shall be not less than,

(a) 60 mm, if the surface behind the handrail is rough or abrasive, or

(b) 50 mm, in all other cases.

Jerry Coughlan, the founder of Coughlan Homes and Deer Creek Golf & Banquet Facility, has passed away.

Jerry founded Coughlan Homes in 1958 with on developing affordable, quality homes in the east end of Toronto, and built the first of what would become many houses in East York.  After realizing the potential for development in surrounding areas, Jerry focused his efforts further east into Scarborough, Pickering and then Ajax.

Through Jerry's hard work and a focused ambition, Coughlan Homes became an established community builder and as Jerry demonstrated his commitment to quality and craftsmanship, along with a keen eye for detail, the company earned a strong reputation that continues to this day.

Jerry enjoyed many sports and initially entered the golf business with a partnership in Glen Cedars Golf Club.  He later assembled land to build Deer Creek Golf Club and Salem Ridge Golf & Academy - his vision fulfilled.

From his early years in business, Jerry recognized the importance of the community within which his businesses operated.  Jerry was known for his generous contributions to Durham charities, including Lakeridge Health, Grandview Kids and The Salvation Army.  Most recently, Jerry's contributions paved the way for the Jerry Coughlan Health & Wellness Centre - a four-storey outpatient medical and community health centre in Pickering, designed to provide a range of health care services to those within the surrounding community.

Jerry's legacy will be remembered for generations as the communities he built continue to flourish, and the companies he founded continue to grow, providing employment and philanthropic contributions to the surrounding community.

Jerry will be greatly missed by his family, friends and those who knew him well. 

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to McEachnie Funeral Home in Ajax.  Please visit their website for information on the funeral services.

The City of Pickering is concluding Phase 1 of the Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review, as such staff have prepared a report to Council presenting the key findings and recommendations from the 8 discussion papers completed withing Phase 1 and comments received from the public and stakeholders.  In addition, the City's consultant, WSP, will present an overview of the discussion papers.

The meeting will take place on Monday, March 22, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

View more information on the meeting here.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Tanjot Bal or Deborah Wylie at the City of Pickering.

The Town of Whitby released their Development Charge Background Study today.

The background study is proposing a 66% increase on single detached homes, from $23,868 to $40,544, a difference of $16,126.

Previously, the Town of Whitby has proposed a new rate of $43,366, however, DRHBA is working with a stakeholder group and consults and their initial work has decreased the proposed increase by $2,822.  This stakeholder group will continue to work with municipal staff and Whitby's consultants, Hemson, to further reduce the charge.

The mandatory public meeting has been scheduled for Monday, March 8, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.  It can be viewed at www.whitby.ca/livestream.

Correspondence can be submitted to the meeting by emailing clerk@whitby.ca no later than noon on Friday, March 5, 2021.

If you wish to make a delegation at the meeting, you will need to complete a Delegation Request Form online by noon on March 8, 2021.

The new development charge bylaw will be brought to council in April, and if passed, will come into effect in May, 2021.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Stacey.

This morning, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark made an announcement that the government is going to begin consultations on ways to potentially  grow the Greenbelt.

OHBA will be actively involved in the 60 day consultation process and will be forming a working group comprised of members who are interested in participating.  If you would like to be a part of this group and participate in the consultation process, please email Stacey.

The consultation is scoped to two main study areas: the Paris Galt Moraine and Urban River Valleys.  The Urban River Valleys contains land in Durham Region that will be a part of the consultation.  You can view the map here.

The Urban River Valleys in Durham Region are:

• Rouge River - Pickering
• Duffins Creek - Ajax
• Carruthers Creek - Ajax
• Lynde Creek - Whitby
• Oshawa Creek - Oshawa
• Farewell/Harmony Creeks - Oshawa
• Soper Creek/Bowmanville Creek - Clarington
• Wilmot Creek - Clarington
• Graham Creek - Clarington

Other Provincial Priorities

In deciding on where and how to possibly grow the Greenbelt, they must also consider other key provincial priorities that could be impacted. These key provincial priorities include:

Growth Management - Overall, the Greenbelt Plan broadly identifies where urbanization should not occur and A Place to Grow directs the majority of growth to fully serviced settlement areas. Currently, municipalities are working towards updating their official plans by 2022 to conform with the revised growth forecasts in Schedule 3 of A Place to Grow. Therefore, Greenbelt expansion needs to be considered in the context of these growth management exercises by municipalities.

Natural Heritage and Water Resource Systems - The Greenbelt Plan and A Place to Grow are aligned with and build on the Provincial Policy Statement to provide policy protection for natural heritage and water resource systems, features and areas, including habitat for endangered and threatened species. Both the Greenbelt Plan and A Place to Grow contain policies supporting and protecting a Natural Heritage System that is made up of these natural features and areas along with the linkages that connect them together. Similarly, policies in these plans protect water resource systems on a watershed basis, with the Greenbelt incorporating significant headwaters, river corridors, wetlands and other features.

Agriculture - The Greater Golden Horseshoe contains some of Canada’s best agricultural land. Both the Greenbelt Plan and A Place to Grow have policies supporting and protecting an Agricultural System that is comprised of an agricultural land base (prime agricultural areas, including specialty crop areas, and other productive lands that form a continuous land base for agriculture) and an agri-food network (infrastructure, services and assets that support the agri-food sector).

 Infrastructure - Both the Greenbelt Plan and A Place to Grow recognize that new infrastructure and upgrades to existing infrastructure will be needed to serve the substantial growth projected for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Infrastructure, including highways to sewage and water treatment plants to corridors for transit and utilities, is permitted in these plans subject to certain conditions.

Discussion Questions

During the consultation process, the provincial government will be focused on these questions:

• What are your thoughts on the initial focus area of adding, expanding and further protecting Urban River Valleys?
• Do you have suggestions for other potential areas to grow the Greenbelt?
• How should the government balance or prioritize any potential Greenbelt expansion with the other provincial priorities mentioned?
• Are there other priorities that should be considered?

Next Steps

If you want to become involved in this consultation process, contact Stacey about joining the OHBA working team or send in your comments directly to greenbeltconsultation@ontario.ca

Resources

View the notice here: https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-3136

At the February 8, 2021 Clarington Council meeting, council heard from delegates and debated the merits of hosting a public meeting in April to determine if Special Study Area 2 should be deleted from the Clarington Official Plan.

Council heard from several delegates, some who were concerned that council was looking to recommend to the province that more land be included in the greenbelt.  Council assured delegates that there were no plans to expand the greenbelt in Clarington.

Other delegates expressed concern that staff would need to be taken off the secondary plans that are currently well under way to facilitate organizing the public meeting in April. 

As stated in the staff report COPA2021-0001:

"To undertake this Official Plan Amendment staff in the Community Planning and Design Branch would be diverted from the Brookhill, Southwest Courtice (SWC) and the Southeast Courtice (SEC) Secondary Plan projects.  For both the Brookhill and SWC Secondary Plan, this will mean the delay of bringing forward recommendation reports to adopt the Secondary Plans.  For the SEC Secondary Plan, this will mean staff will be delayed in responding to the Region of Durham as they process the approval of the Secondary Plan.  In addition, staff will be delayed in preparing the zoning by-law amendments needed to implement the Secondary Plans.  Delaying these projects will also have the consequence of constraining the housing supply and building activity within the next few years in Clarington."

DRHBA requested that council move the public meeting to a later date to allow staff to complete their work on the secondary plans before moving on to this project. 

Staff also recommended that the public meeting be postponed, as stated in file no. COPA2021-0001:

"Provided that Council acknowledges there will be delays in projects that Council have accepted funding from land-owner groups to advance; Staff would bring forward a Statutory Public Meeting Report at the April 26, 2021 Planning and Development Committee.

As outlined previously, our recommendation is that the Official Plan amendment be part of the Clarington Official Plan review to be initiated this year.  By being part of the OP review, Council will be able to comprehensively look at the whole municipality to the year 2051, the new planning horizon for official plans."

Ultimately, Council voted in favour of hosting the public meeting in April, despite the potential delays to the Secondary Plans.

Council voted unanimously to pass Resolution #C-058-21, which reads:

That staff issue the necessary notices for a public meeting under the Planning Act to be held on April 26, 2021, for the consideration of the deletion of Special Study Area 2 from the Clarington Official Plan.