Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, joins Brampton MPPs to Discuss the Housing Supply Crisis, January 25, 2022
BRAMPTON – Today, MPPs Graham McGreg“or (Brampton North) and Hardeep Grewal (Brampton East) were pleased to join the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Hon. Steve Clark, to discuss the government’s plan to address Ontario’s housing supply crisis and its impact on Brampton.
Recently, our government passed the More Homes Built Faster Act, which takes bold action to address Ontario’s housing supply crisis through our plan to get 1.5 million homes built by 2031. The proposals will help cities like Brampton 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.
Through the More Homes Built Faster Act, the government is eliminating development charges for affordable and not-for-profit housing, as well as inclusionary zoning units and select attainable units. Purpose-built rentals will see reductions of up to 25 per cent for family-friendly units. In many cases, these huge fees are the difference between a new home being built or not moving forward at all.
“As a millennial, I know all too well about the housing crisis in Ontario. The supply shortage means that too many families in Brampton are unable to find a home that meets their needs and budget. That’s why we’re building 1.5 million homes over the next decade – so that new and young Canadians can finally afford a home,” said MPP McGregor.
At current rates, development charges add approximately $125,350 to the cost of building a typical home in Brampton. These costs slow down new developments and will inevitably be passed down to those who can least afford them: young families, first-time homebuyers and renters. Since 2020 these fees have increased by over 20 percent.
The changes the government has made do not mean that municipalities will not get revenue from a new home build. Instead, it means that homeownership will not keep moving further out of reach for Bramptonians because of increased fees that add thousands to the price of a home.
“Our government understands that we are in a housing supply crisis and that it is getting increasingly difficult to find a home that meets both your needs and budget. Today, I joined Minister Steve Clark and MPP Graham McGregor to discuss the steps our government is taking to tackle Brampton’s housing crisis. We must make sure that housing development keeps pace with population growth in one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities. We elaborated on our government’s plan to build 1.5 million new homes to address this situation while discussing actions and solutions” said MPP Grewal.
Our government’s policies have delivered historic results in getting more housing built faster and have been complemented by nearly $4.4 billion investments over the past three years to grow and enhance community and supportive housing, respond to COVID-19 and address homelessness for vulnerable Ontarians. This includes record funding to support community and affordable housing in Peel Region through the Social Services Relief Fund and the Homelessness Prevention Program. For 2022-23, the Region of Peel has been allocated over $30.7 million under the Homelessness Prevention Program and they have received more than $49.4 million under the Social Services Relief Fund.
We remain committed to continuing to work with all municipalities across the province towards our common goal – building 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years, including at least 113,000 new homes right here in Brampton.
QUICK FACTS:
- The shortage of housing supply impacts all Ontarians, no matter their background or budget. The province’s ongoing work to increase the supply of market housing complements its historic investments to increase the supply of supportive and community housing for its most vulnerable Ontarians.
- The Social Services Relief Fund has helped municipal service managers and Indigenous program administrators create longer-term housing solutions and deliver critical services such as shelters, food banks, and funding for rental arrears to support vulnerable Ontarians, including those who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.