Unbundling the Bureaucracy and Housing Act of 2024 in Ontario

The Ontario government introduced legislation Wednesday to cut red tape and help build more housing.

The bill includes two major changes, as well as other proposals aimed at streamlining decision-making and shortening development times.

The bill would eliminate parking minimums in developments near major transit stations, allowing homebuilders to decide whether, and if so, how many spaces to build.

The decision will be based on market needs and will be relevant to events near good trafficking transit corridors.

The province is also exempting state-supported universities from the Planning Act to build more student housing.

Discounts apply to both the university and the college, as well as any other location owned by the post-secondary institution.

Here's a summary of other housing-related changes:

• A standardized use-it-or-lose-it policy expands the scope of “legislative regulations” and allows municipalities to reallocate wastewater resources.

• The Government is making changes to the responsibilities of upper-tier municipalities when it comes to planning, with the changes coming into effect in Peel, Halton and York regions from July 1. On this day, the main responsibility for planning is transferred to individuals. municipalities in the region.

• In the absence of a local newspaper, allow municipalities to advertise new planning applications and development charges on their website.

• Reduce costs and delays at the Land Tribunal of Ontario by reducing third party claims made by the “Key Partner”. Developers can apply if the municipality refuses to apply outside the Greenbelt area.

• The government will be seeking feedback on an updated provincial planning statement, the document that sets the rules for land-use planning in Ontario. The government announced last year that it would revise and streamline the document. They say the proposed changes include improved housing outcomes processes, increased proximity to transit and support for coordination between municipalities and school boards.

• Empower to remove “practical impediments” to the construction of driveways, basements and garden suites.

• A 2022 repeal of the refund rules would require municipalities to refund application fees if decisions are not made by the statutory deadline. The government said some municipalities have extended the process.

• Establishing a regulatory body to exempt standardized housing projects from certain sections of the Planning Act. This design has not yet been determined.

• Update building codes to allow more use of timber structures such as solid timber and advice on single exit staircases in small dwellings.

• Reversing changes to development rates to provide more revenue to municipalities

Non-residential items listed on Wednesday:

• Authorizing municipalities to encourage specified businesses if the Lieutenant Governor in Council deems it “necessary or desirable in the provincial interest to attract investment to Ontario.”

• A requirement that ministries develop “business service standards for permits and licensing services” for businesses.

• Amendments that “expand the Ontario Energy Board's Leave of Construction (LTC) exemption for the replacement or reconstruction of hydrocarbon pipelines.”

• Increasing Ontario's collision reporting threshold from $2,000 to $5,000. CTV News Toronto has more here.