Please find attached full…

Please find attached full comments from the City of Kawartha Lakes.

Our main comments are as follows.

-- We had hoped for bold and effective changes to support our work to respond to the housing crisis. However, we find many of the proposed changes are ineffectual, appear to require further refinement and consideration, and will have little direct effect on the housing crisis.

-- The proposed changes share a common theme of asking for municipal support without providing sufficient detail.

-- We would prefer the Minister acknowledge that Planning Act approval timelines are unrealistic and largely not within a municipality's control.

-- Some proposed changes appear to be moving us toward a centralized authority approach which may cause unnecessary delays and ignore the local context.

-- The proposed 'as-of-right' variance appears to require further refinement before being enacted.

-- To make it easier and faster to build homes, we suggest the Minister require councils to delegate to staff decision making authority for some minor variances, and to consider allowing the Committee of Adjustment to approve new uses.