Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on this consultation. I am writing to support the continued use of enhanced development standards at the lot level, especially those related to nature-based design, stormwater management, soil and tree requirements, and active transportation.

These standards play an important role in helping communities become more resilient. They support social wellbeing, environmental health, and long-term economic stability. In my professional work in climate adaptation, spatial analysis, and resilient landscape planning, I have seen that the cost of not including these features is far higher than the cost of doing them properly from the start. When new development ignores natural systems, municipalities and property owners end up facing repeated flooding, heat stress, premature infrastructure failure, and declining urban forest health. Repairing these problems is expensive. The costs often last for decades.

While it is true that requirements differ between municipalities, that variation is often based on local soil conditions, watershed function, heat vulnerability, drainage capacity, or other environmental pressures. Local governments are usually responding to real risks when they set these standards. These tools help maintain health and safety and they are closely aligned with the Provincial Planning Statement 2024, which encourages planning that reduces emissions, prepares for climate impacts, supports green infrastructure, and strengthens active transportation networks.

Enhanced development standards also help lower long-term costs. They reduce stormwater loads, extend the lifespan of hard infrastructure, support healthier tree canopies, and reduce municipal operations and maintenance expenses. For builders, clear and consistent requirements at the planning stage help avoid later redesigns or costly fixes when problems appear after construction.

Instead of limiting or removing these tools, I encourage the Province to provide clearer guidance that improves consistency while still allowing municipalities to respond to local conditions. A balanced approach can support faster approvals without lowering the level of protection communities need.

Ontario is growing quickly and is already dealing with climate-related pressures. If we remove standards that help manage water, heat, and ecological function, the long-term costs will grow. Building quickly is important, but building in a way that holds up over time is even more important. Resilient design is not a barrier to housing delivery. It is part of delivering good housing and reducing future risks.

Thank you for considering these comments.

Hadi El-Shayeb
Founder and Director, Project R_estore