I strongly urge you to allow…

I strongly urge you to allow municipalities to continue requiring and using all reports/studies needed to meet their Green Development Standards (GDS). Municipalities are using GDS to improve health and safety in new homes, lower the energy bills of residents, reduce infrastructure costs, prevent municipal property taxes from increasing, lower demand on our energy systems, and cut emissions. This has many benefits for residents and municipalities, including economic stimulation through the creation of new jobs to support GDS.
Bill 17 would negatively impact municipalities’ ability to implement GDS, limiting their capacity to ensure that new development is built quickly, is energy-efficient, weather-proof, and affordable over the long term. GDS reduce red tape and standardize planning processes, resulting in long-term predictability that housing developers need to succeed. For example, the Region of Waterloo is creating a GDS to harmonizing requirements across the region which will make compliance with municipal standards easier, not harder.
As a result, GDS accelerate rather than slow housing development.
The province must respect municipalities’ responsibilities as outlined in the Planning Act and the Provincial Planning Statement. These include the protection of public health and safety, the economic well-being of the province and municipalities, the minimization of waste, and the promotion of sustainable development.
Meeting these responsibilities requires that municipalities are able to implement GDS which necessitates studies from builders to ensure they are meeting the standards.
Please maintain municipal authorities, including the ability to require necessary reports, to ensure that new development delivers on health, safety, resiliency, and long-term affordability for Ontarians while reducing red tape.