Item - 2015.PG5.10

City Council on May 5, 6, and 7, 2015, referred Motion MM6.11 to the Planning and Growth Management Committee.

The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is currently undertaking three parallel public consultations impacting housing in municipalities: the Long-term Affordable Housing Strategy, Bill 73 Smart Growth for Our Communities Act, 2015 proposing changes to the Planning Act, and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Inclusionary zoning would empower the City to make responsible land use decisions that would have lasting benefits to the city and province. Inclusionary zoning allows us to build complete communities, it would help us to build a more affordable city and to overcome inequalities between communities.

Despite the City of Toronto's repeated requests for inclusionary zoning over the last decade, the Province does not permit Ontario cities the authority to enact inclusionary zoning. Meanwhile, our City is desperately in need of more affordable housing.

Inclusionary zoning would empower the City to require developers to include a percentage of affordable housing units in residential developments with over 20 units and in return they could receive fast tracked approvals and other incentives. This would help us to create a steady and growing supply of affordable rent and affordable homeownership units across the City, building and fostering mixed-income neighbourhoods and providing our residents with more equal access to resources and opportunities.

The Affordable Housing Committee at its meeting on Monday April 27, 2015 requested that the City provide a submission to the Province of Ontario's Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy consultation, and that the submission reiterate the City of Toronto's request for inclusionary zoning powers so that we can ensure more affordable rent and homeownership units are built throughout the city. The other two consultations being hosted by the Province provide us with additional opportunities to request inclusionary zoning.

The Provincial Government has also introduced Bill 73, Smart Growth for Our Communities Act, 2015 proposing changes to the Planning Act.  Bill 73 has replaced a private members Bill 39 on Planning Statute Law amendments on the Government agenda and in doing so, omitted the proposed provision for municipalities to incorporate inclusionary zoning for affordable housing in developments that include 20 or more housing units.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is currently undertaking a review of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and the Greenbelt Plan.  These plans aim to manage the rapid population growth and employment growth in Ontario.  Any growth strategy must include provisions for the need for affordable housing.

There appears to be an appetite for inclusionary zoning from some Members of Provincial Parliament and across political party lines, but it will take the City some time to develop the policies and procedures required for implementation. The City should make sure it is in a position to implement inclusionary zoning as soon as permission is granted so that there is no delay in taking action to build a more affordable city.