•Allowing municipalities,…

Commentaire

•Allowing municipalities, the power to prescribe the interest rates for DC deferrals will likely discourage developers from constructing purpose built rental. While the option to defer seems attractive at first and appears to help the improve a developers proforma if municipalities choose to interest rates in the double digits this could make it more difficult to build rental. The deferral of DC’s is a step in the right direction but if not executed correctly will not have the desired effect. The province should regulate this number.
•Municipalities already have a lot of power and unfortunately in many cities’ powers are often used to prevent development from occurring, especially with respect to rental (i.e. Burlington, Oakville) where rental has a certain stigma. High interest rates could be used as a tool to feed NYMBISM. This will be especially true in cities who are anti-growth, development and rental housing.
•The supply of rental housing is already at all time low and it is evident the province is trying to step in and correct this but, as the regulations stand today this might not be enough to encourage new builds. My hope is that with this comment and others comments some tweaks to the Regulations can be made so that they have the desired impact.

No appeal on MSTA's (Major Transit Station Areas) - while this mechanism is in place to ensure that NIMBYSM is prevented, it can work to a municipalities advantage if they don't impose the appropriate density targets. In municipalities such as Oakville or Burlington this can be used as a tool to prevent growth in areas where growth should occur to please residents. I often struggle with the idea that major decisions in cities are made by individuals with no background on the topic. Good planning should always trump NIMBYSM, residents often threaten to not reelect council as a means to fight growth. No appeals in MTSA's while positive can also be a hindrance. Something should be put in place to ensure that the appropriate amount of growth is allotted to these areas.