BUILDING DURHAM

On Wednesday, April 14 from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m., OHBA will be hosting its first #homebeliever session with special guest Mike Moffatt, senior director of policy and innovation from the Smart Prosperity Institute, to discuss his ongoing series, Ontarians on the Move, 2021 Edition. #1 -The Big Picture | by Mike Moffatt | Feb, 2021 | Medium.

Mike has taken a date-driven approach and focuses on the impact of population growth and migration on Ontario's housing market.

If we want to talk about housing affordability for #homebelievers, we can't ignore the elephant in the room, that Ontario continues to be a destination for people and that means we need to continue to plan new communities and build more homes.

At this time, municipal and regional governments across Ontario are making their plans for the future of housing in their communities, and Mike's data and analysis should help inform those decisions.

OHBA welcomes all members, municipal and regional representatives and elected officials to join OHBA for this important webinar.  

Register here.

The Region of Durham is currently in the process of updating their Planning fee schedule.  

Their fee review process is now complete, and the new proposed fees can be viewed here.

The current fee bylaw came into effect on July 1, 2018 and the new fees are expected to come into effect on July 1, 2021.

The Region of Durham will be accepting feedback on the new rates up until April 21, 2021.  If you have any questions or comments, please email Stacey.

The new fee bylaw has not been scheduled to be brought before council yet, but will be on either May 4 or June 1.

Clarington council has directed staff to seek input from the public on a Draft Official Plan Amendment (OPA) that would delete policy 13.3.12 and Section 17.3 Special Study Area 2 - Greenbelt Expansion from Clarington's current Official Plan.

The policies that are subject of deletion in the Draft OPA are quoted below:

13.3.12 The Municipality supports the expansion of the Greenbelt Plan Area to provide long-term protection of prime agricultural land.

17.3 Special Study Area 2 - Greenbelt Expansion

17.3.1 Special Study Area 2 is all of the lands east of Highway 418 south an east of the Greenbelt boundary, north of Highway 401 and outside of the urban area boundaries in Clarington.

17.3.2 In May 2015, Clarington council requested that the province undertake an appropriate science-based study of agricultural capability to identify high-yielding agricultural lands to be added to the Greenbelt for permanent protection.

17.3.3 The draft Greenbelt Plan (2016) identifies that the Government of Ontario will lead a process to identify potential areas to be added to the Protected Countryside of the Greenbelt.  The province will work with municipalities and others using a systems approach considering the connections with the Agricultural, Natural Heritage and Water Resource systems of the plan.  Where it is determined that identified areas would benefit from Greenbelt protection, the province may initiate amendments to the Greenbelt Plan.

17.3.4 Special Study Area 2 identifies the lands which the Municipality considers appropriate as an area for the future Greenbelt expansion study.

The Draft Official Plan Amendment and additional information is available for review at www.clarington.net/SpecialStudyArea2.

Statutory Public Meeting Details

In line with current COVID-19 guidelines, the meeting will take place electronically.  Visit www.clarington.net/Calendar to watch the meeting online or to listen by phone.

Date: Monday, April 26, 2021

Time: 7:00 p.m.

To speak at the public meeting, please pre-register for additional instructions.

Pre-register by completing the online form at www.clarington.net/Delegations or contact the Clerk's Division at 905-623-3379 ext. 2109 or clerks@clarington.net by Friday, April 23, 2021 at 4 p.m.

At the March 22 council meeting, councillors voted in favour of the recommendations contained in staff report PLN 15-21, concerning the City's comprehensive zoning by-law review.

As part of the council resolution, council voted to authorize staff to initiate Phases II and III of the study and funding for the study was approved.  

Of note to members, the first draft of the consolidated by-law is scheduled to be released in the Fall of 2021 and will be followed by open houses and community workshops to receive feedback from stakeholders and the public.  A statuatory public meeting will also be held in the Fall of 2021.

The comprehensive zoning bylaw review is being undertaken to with the purpose to:

• Create on consolidated zoning by-law
• Update zoning to reflect Official Plan policies and associated development guidelines
• Complete necessary research to ensure the new by-law is consistent with current legislation, policy and trends
• Post the by-law text and mapping on the City's website

More information on this review and to view the discussion papers completed so far, visit https://www.pickering.ca/en/city-hall/comprehensive-zoning-by-law-review.aspx.

At the March 22, 2021 council meeting, council voted in favour of sending a response to the province in regards to growing the Greenbelt.  The resolution asks the province to maintain the current Greenbelt boundary and not pursue expanding it at this time.

Resolution #556/21 was passed and read:

• That comments in Report PLN 14-21, on Environmental Registry Posting (ERO) 019-3136 regarding growing the Provincial Greenbelt, be endorsed;
• That the province maintain the current established Greenbelt boundary within the City of Pickering on the basis that:

Any consideration or decision regarding expanding the Greenbelt in Pickering would be premature and not in the public interest, prior to the completion of the Region of Durham's Municipal Comprehensive Review, and in particular, prior to the completion of the Land Needs Assessment, updated Natural Heritage System mapping, and review and implementation of the Provincial Agricultural System, in order to fully understand the implications and determine the appropriateness of growing the Greenbelt;

All lands within Pickering are covered by the policies of A Place to Grow and the Greenbelt Plan, which were further strengthened through the most recent updates to the provincial plans, and the Provincial Policy Statement, and which together provide the highest level of protection for natural heritage and hydrologic features and areas; as well as agricultural areas; and,

The City, by Resolutions 140/19 and 173/19 affirmed its position that the lands in Northeast Pickering, be reserved to accommodate future urban development

• That in order to minimize competing interests and priorities, the Province should explore opportunities on the outer fringes of the existing Greenbelt for further expansion, rather than the areas closest to the existing built up urban areas which may be needed the accommodate future development within proximity to transit and other existing and planned infrastructure investments by municipalities and the Province;
• That should the Province decide to consider growing the Greenbelt within the City of Pickering:

Any additions to the Greenbelt Plan be considered on the context of the Region of Durham's Municipal Comprehensive Review;

The legislated public process for amendments to the Greenbelt be followed, including consultation with City of Pickering, the Region of Durham, Indigenous communities, and affected property owners, prior to any final decision being made;

Any decision to expand the Greenbelt should not compromise the ability of the municipality to accommodate future urban growth; and,

Criteria be established and implementation guidance be provided to guide refinement to the Greenbelt Natural Heritage System by municipalities, similar to the criteria and guidance that have been established for the Growth Plan Natural Heritage System; and, 

• That staff be directed to respond to ERO Posting 019-3136 with a copy of Report PLN 14-21 and Council's resolution thereon, and that a copy of Report PLN 14-21 be forwarded to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy, the Regional Municipality of Durham and other Durham area municipalities.

At tonight's (Monday, March 29th) council meeting, staff will be bringing forward an item for consideration in regards to Alternative Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland Dedication Rates for Downtown Whitby and High Density Residential Development.

The recommendation from staff is as follows:

1. That Council adopt the proposed residential Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland dedication rate of 5% of the value of the land proposed to be developed within the Historic Downtown Whitby Priority Area of the Downtown Whitby Community Improvement Plan; and
2. That Council adopt the proposed alternate residential Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland dedication rate of the lesser of 1 hectare for every 500 units or 35% of the land proposed to be developed for Town-wide High Density Residential Developments (excluding residential developments in the Historic Downtown Whitby Priority Area) that meet the eligibility requirements outlined within Report CMS 05-21; and
3. That an Alternate Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland Dedication By-law be brought forward for Council's approval  that addresses the Historic Downtown Whitby Priority Area and other High Density Residential Areas within the Town; and
4. That staff be directed to undertake the larger Town-wide Parkland Needs/Dedication Study as identified within the 2021 Capital Budget having regard for community and development industry engagement throughout the Study process.

Read Report CMS 05-21 for more information.

The Whitby Special Council meeting will be held tonight, Monday, March 29, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.  You can watch the meeting live here.

Tarion is consulting on proposals to address the remaining recommendations of the Auditor General, as well as an additional consumer protection initiative.

In addition to accepting written submissions, they will be hosting four builder roundtables to give you the opportunity to provide your feedback directly to them.  Please find the the list of dates/times/link to register here:

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

April 9, 2021 - 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Register

April 12, 2021 - 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Register

April 27, 2021 - 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Register

Tarion is consulting on proposed changes, including:

• Two options for a new customer service standard to address Auditor General recommendation #6
• A new policy on unfinished items at the time of possession to address Auditor General recommendation #5
• A new process for information-sharing with municipalities to address Auditor General recommendation #17
• A new accommodation warranty for homeowners who have to relocate during repairs of a warranted item.

If you are unable to attend one of their roundtables, you may submit feedback on the proposed changes to submissions@tarion.com by April 30, 2021.

For more information on the proposed changes, please see:

Read more about the consultation

View the consultation discussion guide

View the consultation Q&A

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is moving forward with the Consolidated Linear Infrastructure (CLI) Permissions Approach for stormwater and sewage collection systems. A decision notice has been posted and can be accessed on the Environmental Registry at https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-1080

The CLI Permissions Approach was strongly supported by OHBA through multiple submissions to the MECP in 2018, 2019 and 2020. OHBA struck an Environmental Approvals sub-committee and would in particular like to thank volunteer member Steve Schaefer (Principal SCS Consulting Group) for his efforts spearheading this initiative. The CLI permissions approach is a gamechanger and will streamline the current approvals framework for lower risk, routine sewage works through consolidating approvals for linear infrastructure (e.g. sanitary collection, stormwater works).

With the transition to CLI, a municipality’s sanitary collection works will be brought under one multi-media Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) for a municipality’s wastewater sewage collection system, and a municipality’s stormwater collection works will be brought under one multi-media ECA for a municipality’s stormwater collection, treatment and disposal system.  The consolidation of approvals, and transition to the CLI framework will:

• create an efficient process for low-risk projects
• provide clear, transparent and consistent requirements
• improve environmental protection through updated and consolidated terms and conditions
• establish a more comprehensive picture of sewage works across the province

CLI ECAs will also include pre-authorization conditions which will allow municipalities and developers constructing infrastructure on behalf of municipalities to proceed without first having to obtain an individual Ministry permission, provided specific requirements are met. OHBA has consistently supported streamlining the redundant ECA process for SWM facilities and in particular SWM ponds that require sign off by the MECP following municipal approvals – this is a significant regulatory improvement that will help get shovels in the ground for critical infrastructure faster and support new housing supply.

The Town of Whitby is undertaking a comprehensive review of their Zoning By-Law.  The Town is approaching completion of Phase I of this review.  As part of this work, the Town is hosting a stakeholder session with their consultants SGL.  During this stakeholder session, SGL will give a brief presentation about the background reports they have prepared and there will be time for feedback and thoughts on directions to take in Phase II.

The stakeholder session will be held on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

You can join the meeting here: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/962319445 

The access code is: 962-319-445 

The background reports prepared by SGL are available on www.whitby.ca/inthezone.

On Wednesday, March 25, Ontario’s Finance Minister, and President of the Treasury Board the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, delivered the province’s 20201 Budget, entitled ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy. This budget is strongly focused on defeating the COVID-19 pandemic and protecting jobs, while laying out the roadmap for a post pandemic economic recovery. Please find OHBA’s news release on today’s budget here.

OHBA has been advocating for key policy proposals in the budget to help our sector deliver new homes and newly renovated homes to awaiting families. OHBA believes the residential construction industry is well positioned to lead Ontario’s economy into a sustainable recovery through strong investment in local communities and to act as a stabilizing force in terms of job creation. In preparation for the 2021 budget, OHBA focused our efforts on meeting with key Cabinet Minsters and Parliamentary Assistants to share our core policy proposals further outlined in our formal 2021 Budget Submission. This submission outlines critical measures to help unlock needed investment in new housing, improve affordability and reduce red tape.

Relevant parts of today’s budget are noted below,

Headline Economic/Budget Stats:

• Full budget expenditures total $173 billion.
• For 2020–21, the government is projecting a deficit of $33.1 billion.
• Over the medium term, the government is forecasting deficits of $27.7 billion in 2022–23 and $20.2 billion in 2023–24,
• Ontario’s real GDP declined 5.7% in 2020. GDP growth is projected at 4% for 2021, 4.3% in 2022, 2.5% in 2023, & 2.0% in 2024.
• The construction sector saw a 5.5% reduction in construction employment between February 2020 and February 2021.
• The Ministry of Finance noted 81,300 new home starts in 2020 with the following forecasted projections,
• • 80,200 starts in 2021
  • 79,300 starts in 2022
  • 80,200 starts in 2023
  • 81,200 starts in 2024

Housing

• The strong housing momentum is expected to continue with home resales projected to rise 5.5% in 2021 and the average home resale price to increase 7.5 per cent. Housing activity is expected to moderate between 2022 and 2024 to levels consistent with fundamental drivers of housing demand, such as population growth.

Skilled Trades, Apprenticeships & Workforce Development

• The province will invest $288.2 million in 2021–22 in its Skilled Trades Strategy with the following measures.
• • $39.6 million over three years, beginning in 2021–22, to expand the Specialist High Skills Major program to further expose students in Grades 11 & 12 to the skilled trades.
  • Development of a Portal for Skilled Trades & Apprenticeships is ongoing. This portal will offer a 24/7, secure, simple an straightforward way to connect employers with the skilled workers they need.
  • $3 million for a hand-on learning assistance for up 1,000 Ontario students, including co-ops focused on the skilled trades.
  • Expand the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program to include Grade 10 summer training opportunities alongside Grade 11 and 12.
• The government is helping workers retrain in a second career, or a career change, as well as help employers locate and identify potential workers through a virtual skills passport. By providing additional one‐time funding of $2 million in 2021–22 for the development of a virtual skills passport that tracks learners’ credentials to set the foundation for lifelong learning, and allows them to share credentials digitally with prospective employers.

Getting Ontario’s Economy Back on Track – Key Red Tape Initiatives

• The provincial government will continue the process of digitizing and automating Ontario government services, particularly those used by businesses.

Health & Safety

• The province is providing free occupational health and safety training for health and safety representatives in up to 60,000 small businesses by investing $3.5 million annually over a three‐year period, focused on helping to lower injury rates and improve health and safety awareness and practices in small businesses.

Tax Policy Changes

• The budget includes a new Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit, which would provide up to $2,000 per recipient to cover half of eligible expenses, which include occupational, trade or technical qualifications or training programs (the credit is effectively being harmonized with a similar federal measure).
•  Fees for an occupational, trade, or professional examination required to obtain a professional status, or to be licensed or certified as a tradesperson, and that are paid to a university, college or other educational institution, a professional association, provincial ministry, or other similar institution.
• Ontario is providing a second round of Ontario Small Business Support Grant payments to eligible recipients. Approximately 120,000 small businesses will automatically benefit from an additional $1.7 billion in relief through this second round of support in the form of grants of a minimum of $10,000 and up to $20,000 — bringing the estimated total support provided through this grant to $3.4 billion.
• The province has expanded the Regional Opportunities Investment Tax Credit to 20% for  businesses that build, renovate or purchase eligible commercial or industrial buildings in a qualifying region of the province.

Conclusion

While this budget is primarily focused on preserving people’s health and jobs, OHBA will continue to advocate for policy measures that will enable our sector to reignite Ontario’s economy over the next 12 months as we move towards economic recover.