Town calls for collaboration and funding support from higher levels of government regarding province’s Bill 23

Oakville fully recognizes the significant role municipalities play in increasing the housing supply in Ontario, however the new legislation - Bill 23, as it currently stands, creates significant administrative and funding challenges for the town. As such, the town awaits further information and clarification on the commitment the province has made to ensure the town receives the necessary funding support to address the new housing legislation.

Based on the information available so far, the new housing legislation will require the town to approve two to three times more residential units than what the development industry has built in the last 10 years. It will be up to the development industry to build those pre-approved units amidst a labour shortage and supply chain challenges. To achieve the established targets set by the province, action and support is required by all levels of government, including the Town of Oakville.

The Government of Ontario has assigned Oakville a housing target of 33,000 units as part of the province’s overall target of 1.5 million homes in the next 10 years. This is in addition to 19,000 units already allocated to the town by the Province’s Growth Plan. As such, the town will be required to accommodate around 52,000 new residential units over the next decade across the town, and mostly directed to strategic growth areas such as Midtown, Bronte GO, Uptown and Hospital District.

The current legislative changes also mean that the town will collect lesser revenues from developers for new parks, roads and recreational amenities. There are also significant changes to some processes such as site plan control, appeals to the Ontario Land Tribunal, as well as public input and consultation on draft plans of subdivisions. 

The full impacts to the town are still being determined in the Ontario Government's ongoing discussions with Ontario Big City Mayors and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

Following a staff presentation on Bill 23 last night, Council passed a motion “that staff update Council and the public as they receive additional information on Bill 23, its impact on the community and provide clarification on commitments by the province and actions by the Federal Government to address all of Oakville’s concerns.”

Council also directed staff to submit the town’s comments to the Environmental Registry of Ontario to inform future regulations associated with Bill 23, as well as forward the staff report to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and other key ministries and stakeholders.

For more information review the staff report on the impacts of Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022.

Council also approved a staff report on the impacts Bill 109, More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022 will have on the planning process including changes to the time periods for which planning applications must be considered, and the introduction of penalties if those define time periods are not met.

“The public expects all levels of government to work together to solve the housing supply crisis, and the town seeks collaborative efforts and financial support from higher levels of government. We remain optimistic the Province will come through on its pledge to protect the long-term sustainability of municipal budgets and help Oakville create a thriving future.” 

Mayor Rob Burton

“Everyone agrees that housing affordability and attainability need to be addressed. However, solutions need to include all stakeholders – all levels of government, the development industry, and citizens – to ensure that those solutions don’t unfairly burden existing taxpayers. Staff will continue to work through these changes, assess the implications, and continue to provide Council with information and the best advice going forward.”

Jane Clohecy, Chief Administrative Officer