December 9, 2022 Ministry of…

December 9, 2022

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
777 Bay Street
Toronto, ON
M7A 2J3

Re: Proposed Planning Act Changes (Schedule 9 of Bill 23 - More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022); ERO Number 019-6163

Dear Sir or Madam,

In 2019, London City Council declared a climate emergency. London’s Climate Emergency Action Plan was approved in April 2022 with the aim to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and improved resilience to climate change. One of the key areas of focus in the action plan is transforming buildings and development, which promotes energy efficiency and resilience in new buildings.

We are concerned that Bill 23’s changes to Section 41 of the Planning Act will restrict municipalities' ability to comment on sustainable building design as part of site plan approval and will prevent the City of London from developing green building standards in collaboration with our development industry partners, as contemplated in our Climate Emergency Action Plan. This is a significant setback to our efforts to create high-quality, sustainable, and future-proof communities.

We have committed to working with the development industry to ensure the application of green building standards is fully integrated into our existing development review process and timelines, to ensure housing is built fast. Green development standards that promote energy efficiency will also improve housing affordability in the long-term by reducing operating costs for homeowners. This will provide Londoners with the climate resilient, affordable, and attractive communities that they deserve.

We are asking the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to ensure sustainable building design matters remain within the scope of site plan control. We should not strive to solve the housing supply crisis by exacerbating the climate crisis.

Sincerely,

Heather McNeely
Director, Planning and Development
City of London