Proposed changes in Bill 108…

Proposed changes in Bill 108 to the Development Charges Act will only absolve developers from their financial responsibility for community improvement.

A key advantage to the current system is that much of the decision-making affecting local neighbourhoods with regard to development charges is in the hands of councillors working directly with residents – the very people who know their communities best.

Bill 108 reduces the period councils have to consider complicated development applications: by two months in the case of Official Plan amendments and by a month (120 to 90 days) for re-zoning applications. This shortened time frame is unreasonable. City councillors need time to consult with residents, consider and to press for changes to controversial developments.

Bill 108 wrongly attempts to justify changes by claiming to provide more affordable housing while taking away “slush funds” for “vanity projects.” This negative characterization of development charges is terrible and untrue from the point of view of anyone (residents and homebuyers) except a short-term profit taker. There is no “vanity” in attempting to build better cities, guided by professional planning, using money from development charges. Market interventions and parks and development charges are a critical part of responsible and proper planning yielding a better quality of life for homebuyers and residents.