MPP Rickford Announces Ontario’s Bold Action to Build More Homes

October 25, 2022

KENORA — The Ontario government has introduced the More Homes Built Faster Act, which takes bold action to advance the province’s plan to address the housing crisis by building 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years. The proposals in the More Homes Built Faster Act would, if passed, ensure that cities, towns and rural communities grow with a mix of ownership and rental housing types that meet the needs of all Ontarians, from single family homes to townhomes and mid-rise apartments.

“The More Homes Built Faster Act will unlock more attainable housing solutions for the people of Kenora – Rainy River, giving them the foundation they need to thrive right here in our communities,” said Greg Rickford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora – Rainy River. “The Northwest is bursting with opportunity and, in order to remain competitive, we need to be able to build more places for newcomers, young families, and seniors to call home.” 

“For too many Ontarians, finding the right home is still too challenging. This is not just a big-city crisis: the housing supply shortage affects all Ontarians, including rural, urban and suburban, north and south, young and old,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Our Housing Supply Action Plan is creating a strong foundation on which 1.5 million homes can be built over the next 10 years. Our government is following through on our commitment to Ontarians by cutting delays and red tape to get more homes built faster.”

The plan puts in place actions to support the development of “gentle density” – housing like triplexes or garden suites – that bridge the gap between single family homes and high-rise apartments. For example, it would remove exclusionary zoning, which allows for only one single detached home per lot. Instead, it would allow property owners to build three units without lengthy approvals and development charges.

The plan, which contains around 50 actions, addresses the housing crisis by reducing government fees and fixing developmental approval delays that slow down housing construction and increase costs. Actions in the plan include:

  • Creating a new attainable housing program to drive the development of housing. Sites across all regions of Ontario will be considered, including those in the north, central, east and southwest regions.
  • Increasing the Non-Resident Speculation Tax rate from 20 per cent to 25 per cent to deter non-resident investors from speculating on the province’s housing market and help make home ownership more attainable for Ontario residents.
  • Freezing and reducing government charges to spur new home construction and reduce the costs of housing.
  • Building more density near transit, unlocking innovative approaches to design and construction, and removing red tape to get shovels in the ground faster.
  • Increasing consumer protection measures for home buyers and consulting on ways to help more renters become homeowners.

The government will also consult with the public, stakeholders and municipalities while engaging with Indigenous communities to review provincial housing and land use planning policies to find ways to remove more barriers to getting homes built.

QUICK FACTS

  • Ontario is expected to grow by more than two million people over the next 10 years.
  • Ontario’s first housing plan, More Homes, More Choice  was released in 2019. It was followed by More Homes for Everyone in Spring 2022. Ontario is seeing strong progress resulting from these plans, with annual housing starts well above average for the past 30 years.
  • The government is committed to developing a new housing supply action plan for every year of its current mandate to continue delivering real, long-term housing solutions. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES