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BUILDING DURHAM


  • October 02, 2023 9:47 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    On Thursday, September 28, 2023, the Hon. Paul Calandra, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, tabled Bill 134 the Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023.  If passed, this legislation would make it less expensive and easier to build affordable homes, provide certainty to municipalities and help more Ontarians find an affordable home based on their household income.

    This would help support measures made through the government’s housing supply action plans and its commitment to help communities across Ontario build at least 1.5 million homes by 2031.

    The province has released the ERO, and is accepting comments until October 28th, 2023.

    Within the tabled legislation is a new definition of affordable housing.  Bill 134 proposes to amend the Development Charges Act, 1997 to change the definition of an affordable housing residential unit for the purposes of discounting and exempting these units from the municipal development-related charges (including community benefit charges, parkland dedication requirements and development charges).  It is intended to incent the development of housing that would be considered affordable to moderate income households and help lower the cost of building, purchasing, and renting affordable homes across the province.

    The proposed new definition would be based on the existing definition of affordable housing in the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), 2020, which considers local income in addition to market prices.  The proposed new definition would consider the housing costs that are affordable for households that, in the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing’s opinion, are in the 60th percentile of gross annual income in the applicable local municipality.

    Under the proposed change, an affordable residential unit would be defined as:

    For rental housing, where the rent is no greater than the lesser of,

          i.            The income-based affordable rent for the residential unit set out in the Affordable Housing Residential Units bulletin, as identified by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and

      ii.            The average market rent identified for the residential unit set out in the Affordable Residential Units bulletin.

    In identifying the income-based rent applicable to a residential unit, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing shall,

    a.       Determine the income of a household that, in the Minister's opinion, is at the 60th percentile of gross annual incomes for rental households in the applicable local municipality; and

    b.       Identify the rent that, in the Minister’s opinion, is equal to 30 per cent of the income of the household referred to in clause (a).

    For ownership housing, where the price of the residential unit is no greater than the lesser of,

        i.            The income-based affordable purchase price for the residential unit set out in the Affordable Residential Units bulletin, as identified by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and

     ii.            90 per cent of the average purchase price identified for the residential unit set out in the Affordable Residential Units bulletin.

    In identifying the income-based affordable purchase price applicable to a residential unit, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing shall,

    a.       Determine the income of a household that, in the Minister's opinion, is tat the 60th percentile of gross annual incomes for households in the applicable local municipality; and

    b.       Identify the purchase price that, in the Minister’s opinion, would result in annual accommodation costs equal to 30 per cent of the income of the household referred to in clause (a)

    Related Information:

    Development Charges Act, 1997, S.O. 1997, c.27

    Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022

    Planning Act R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13 (Ontario.ca)

    Review of proposed policies adapted from A Place to Grow and Provincial Policy Statement to form a new provincial planning policy instrument

    Changes to the Definition of an “Affordable Residential Unit” in the Development Charges Act, 1997 for the Purpose of Municipal Development-Related Discounts and Exemptions

    Statement from OHBA:

    Today, the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing tabled the “Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act”.  If passed, this legislation will enact two important measures that will reduce cost and streamline processes to get more homes built, faster.  

     The first provision more precisely defines “affordable housing” for the purpose of determining which housing units should be eligible for development-related charge discounts and exemptions. This is an important step in helping our members make more affordable housing developments economically viable.

     The second provision of interest to OHBA’s members relates to further reforms at the Ontario Land Tribunal.  The backlog of cases at the OLT has been a problem for all parties involved for many years.  Measures to clear this backlog, reduce delay and reduce cost are welcome by everyone involved in developing housing in Ontario. 

     OHBA, our 27 chapter associations, and the 4,000 builders and renovators across Ontario that we represent all welcome these important changes and commend the Province of Ontario for taking these important steps.  Our association has been advocating for these measures for many months and has provided constructive advice to the Province on both of these issues.  We look forward to reviewing the details of these proposals in the coming days and to participating in the legislative debate over the coming weeks.

  • October 02, 2023 8:42 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) Code Update

    This past week during OBOA’s annual conference, MMAH’s James Ross and Mansoor Mahmood provided an update on the release of the 2020 Ontario Building Code.

    New code regulations won’t be published until January, 2024. As the new Minister takes time to review the proposed changes, the MMAH team is working on a “transition plan” which will likely result in a number of changes having an in-effect date beyond the March 31st, 2024, deadline.

    When asked about the proposed adoption of the tiered energy system (Tier 1 for Part 3 buildings and Tier 3 for Part 9), the response was that this proposal was on the list of items to be reviewed by the Minister. From this response, we anticipate further clarity in January when the regulations are to be posted.

    Reinvigorating the OHBA Technical Committee

    We at OHBA are excited to announce that we are preparing to host a Technical Committee session on Nov. 15th from 10am until 11:30am! The focus of this session will be on the code harmonization process and key focus area for the 2025 and 2030 National Codes. We will also be looking to receive feedback during this session on future session topics. Hold the date, we will be sending out an invite to this event soon.

    Call for Building Code Sub-Committee Members

    The Builder/Developer Council is looking for members with an interest in code development to join the Building Code Sub-Committee! We are looking for members who are interested in getting involved in the code development process and providing meaningful feedback on proposed code changes at the Provincial and Federal levels. Interested members can contact Miyoko at moikawa@ohba.ca for more information.


  • October 02, 2023 8:27 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Oshawa Fire Service has reached out to DRHBA to ask for help in completing a project that will help improve their training. 

    Oshawa Fire Services wants to build a permanent trench to facilitate trench rescue training.  Trench rescue requires substantial training and certification, as these types of rescues are very dangerous.  Oshawa Fire has performed several trench rescues in Oshawa, as well as other municipalities (that do not have the training/certification required to perform the rescues).  Typically, the people being rescued in these scenarios are construction workers.

    Oshawa Fire would like to have this permanent trench constructed on their property at Harmony and Coldstream (next to Fire Station #5).  They are hoping to collaborate with our Association/members to complete this project at no cost.  Oshawa Fire Services will host a media event to highlight the trench and those who helped build it, as well as promoting those who helped on their socials. 

    The trench would need to be 8 feet deep.  It was described as a T-shape, with an L coming off the bottom.  The top of the T would be 12 feet, the stem 6-8 feet, and the L off the left or right side 6 feet.

    To build, they require a set of drawings completed by an engineer, someone to dig the actual trench, and to have the concrete formed and poured.

    Any members willing to donate either services or financially are asked to contact Stacey.


  • September 15, 2023 3:41 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    On September 14, 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his government would be removing the GST on construction of new rental apartment buildings.

    The federal Liberals originally promised to do this during the 2015 election, however the plan was scrapped.  Trudeau stated they scrapped the promise because it didn't respond to needs at the time.

    However, now with increasing housing costs, the federal government feels this move will help making housing more affordable.  The GST would be removed for labour and materials for homebuilders.


  • September 15, 2023 12:11 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    On Monday, September 18, 2023, Oshawa's Safety & Facilities Committee will be considering Report SF-23-28 - Additional Proposed Policy Options for the Residential Housing Licensing Program.

    Since the spring of 2022, the City of Oshawa has been considering expanding their Residential Rental Housing Licensing (RRHL) program from the area surrounding Durham College and Ontario Tech University to all wards of the City.

    DRHBA has been consistently opposed to expanding the program, submitting correspondence in May 2022 and May 2023.  The Association has also submitted correspondence ahead of Monday's meeting.

    The Durham Region Home Builders' Association strongly believes that this program will add more red tape and costs to rental units, while offering no additional protection for tenants that doesn't already exist within provincial legislation and the municipality's property standards bylaw.



  • August 26, 2023 4:47 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    On Tuesday, August 22, 2023, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark announced important changes to appoint regional government facilitators with a focus on growth, housing and infrastructure and reviewing the existing provincial definition of affordable housing. OHBA welcomes these changes to help ensure communities across Ontario are focused on enabling greater housing supply and choice. Please see excerpts on these updates from the provincial news release below,

    Regional Facilitators

    The province intends to appoint regional facilitators in Durham, Halton, Niagara, Waterloo, York and Simcoe County by September 11, 2023. These facilitators will be tasked with assessing local governance structures in these communities to ensure they are prepared to support future growth and meet the needs of their residents, particularly when it comes to building homes and housing-enabling infrastructure.

    Updating the Provincial Definition of Affordable Housing

    The government intends to introduce changes to the Development Charges Act that would, if passed, incorporate income factors in addition to market factors in this definition. To ensure low- and moderate-income Ontarians in all parts of the province can find a truly affordable home, affordable homes that meet the province’s definition would be eligible for discounts and exemptions on development-related fees, to help lower the cost of building, purchasing and renting affordable homes across the province.


  • August 26, 2023 4:26 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The province has committed to harmonizing the Ontario Building Code with the National Building Code by the end of March, 2024. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) is drafting new building code regulations that will include (if approved) a significant number of changes to the Ontario Building Code. The Ministry hopes to have the new regulations filed and available for public review sometime in late 2023, pending the provincial government’s approval. The Ontario Home Builders’ Association continues to emphasize the need for appropriate time for adoption to ensure a successful transition and application of the new code. We hope to have more information on the changes and timelines over the coming months. We will continue to engage with the Ministry and provide input and comment, as we have on prior industry consultations.

    Home builders, building officials, consultants, product manufacturers and others impacted by the proposed code changes are encouraged to review the “Proposed Changes for the Next Edition of Ontario’s Building Code” detailed in the Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 code consultations. Furthermore, OHBA will be bringing forward more resourcing this Fall to support members on code and technical matters in addition to the important service offerings through the Canadian Home Builders’ Association. Members can subscribe to CHBA’s ‘Housing Tech News’ and other e-publications here with information on important work being carried out in the codes front. 


  • August 17, 2023 2:03 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development is updating its regulations related to crane usage and operation on construction sites,

    Amendments to various crane-related provisions of O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) include:

    • Clarifying or adding new design, installation, maintenance, inspection, and record-keeping requirements.
    • Requiring more comprehensive inspections of tower cranes, including referencing the Professional Engineers of Ontario's practice standard for tower crane review, and clarifying and expanding the role and responsibilities of professional engineers in the design, erection, and inspection of tower cranes.
    • Introducing new, and updating existing, references to relevant national and international standards relating to the design and operation of tower cranes.
    • Addressing advances in technology, including adding and amending requirements that take into account specific operational needs for self-erecting tower cranes.
    • Clarifying requirements for cables, slings and rigging that apply to all cranes and cover hoisting operations by other equipment.

    Amendments to O. Reg. 420/21 (Notices and Reports Under Sections 51 to 53.1 of the Act - Fatalities, Critical Injuries, Occupational Illnesses and Other Incidents) under the OHSA have also been approved. The amendments will add a new requirement for the Ministry to be notified of a failure to control a crane or a load, including any rigging failure, and for an engineer’s report on the cause of the incident. 

    Most amendments will come into force on January 1, 2024. Other requirements, including those that may require equipment upgrades, will come into force on January 1, 2025, to provide stakeholders with additional time to comply with the changes. The Ministry held previous public consultations on proposed amendments relating to tower cranes and other cranes. These changes are driven by industry groups representing both management and labour, while ensuring red tape is kept to a minimum without compromising worker safety.

    For more information on the amendments, please see the amending regulations O. Reg. 241/23 and O. Reg. 242/23. The amendments have been consolidated into the e-Laws version of O. Reg. 213/91 and O. Reg. 420/21. For more information on employer responsibilities under the OHSA, please review the OHSA webpage or contact the Ministry’s Health and Safety Contact Centre at 1-877-202-0008.


  • August 01, 2023 2:01 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Members should be aware that the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery is seeking input on proposed measures related to new home purchase agreements and price escalations. A consultation has been launched accordingly with a due date of August 13th.

    The areas of focus for the consultation include,

    1. Proposed limits on the amount by which a provision of a new home purchase agreement can permit prices to increase.
    2. Proposed limits on the amount by which a builder can increase the price of a new home after the builder has cancelled an agreement to sell it.
    3. Permitting consumers to launch class action lawsuits against builders who attempt to escalate the prices of their new homes.
    4. Publishing information about the number of purchase agreements for freehold homes (that is, non-condominium homes) a builder has cancelled for a reason unrelated to the fault of the buyer.
    5. Establishing a cooling-off period for buyers of new freehold homes.
    6. Proposal to make it mandatory for new home buyers to receive a legal review during a new home purchase.

    OHBA is working in collaboration with our HBA Chapters across Ontario on this public consultation. It is critical that we collectively provide a clear message on ways to better protect consumers and crucially, ensure a sustainable new home construction industry in Ontario. As we coordinate a public policy response, we will have materials that can be utilized by Chapters and members soon to respond accordingly.



  • August 01, 2023 1:58 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Members should be aware of changes to new home warranty coverage in Ontario that came into effect on July 1, 2023, and will apply to homeowners who enter into a purchase agreement on, or after, that date.

    Warranty Limits

    Warranty Compensation Limit has been increased from $300,000 (current) to $400,000. This change applies to freehold homes in which the homeowner owns the land and the home, such as detached, semi-detached homes and some townhouses. The warranty compensation limit for condominium units will not increase, as those homes already benefit from additional coverage under the builder’s Common Elements warranty.

    Temporary Relocation Warranty – Registrars Bulletin #7

    The new Temporary Relocation Warranty of $150/day - up to a maximum of $15,000 - will help cover costs homeowners may have to pay associated with temporary accommodations. This coverage for both condominium and freehold homeowners applies if a warranted repair renders the home uninhabitable and they are required to relocate while repairs or remediation is completed. Full details can be found in the new Registrar Bulletin 7.

    Changes to the Customer Service Standard

    Tarion is also making changes to the Customer Service Standard (CSS). Following the implementation of interim measures in September 2020, Tarion has now made regulatory changes to the Customer Service Standard, effective July 1, 2023, by:

    • Creating a new requirement that Tarion must schedule a conciliation inspection within 15 days of the request being made and make changes to the current timeline requirements for conducting the conciliation inspection and issuing the conciliation assessment report.

    The following changes will take effect for homebuyers who have a date of possession on or after May 1, 2024:

    • Extending the initial homeowner submission period by 10 days (now 40 days).
    • Making the interim 10-day grace period at the end of the first-year warranty period permanent.
    • Creating a mid-year submission at six months.
    • Allowing homeowners to add items to a running list of potential defects at any time during the first-year warranty period.
    • Expanding when homeowners can ask for a conciliation inspection during the first-year warranty period by removing the 30-day timeline for a homeowner to request a conciliation and instead allowing them to request a conciliation for each submission from the time it is submitted up until the next submission date.

    Additional information will be provided in advance of the May 1, 2024, in-effect date. For more information on these new measures, please view the backgrounder here.



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Durham Region Home Builders' Association is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization. 1-1255 Terwillegar Avenue Oshawa, Ontario L1J 7A4

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