Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the Environmental Registry of Ontario (“ERO”) posting 019-8366 and Ontario Regulatory Registry (“ORR”) 24-MMAH011 regarding the proposed regulatory changes under the Planning Act Relating to the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024 (Bill 185): Removing Barriers for Additional Residential Units.

Please note that the following comments and recommendations are provided by City of Mississauga staff and have been endorsed by City Council at its meeting on May 1, 2024. The report to City Council is provided in the supporting link below.

The following contains a summary of the City of Mississauga's comments on ERO 019-8366 and ORR 24-MMAH011. Detailed comments are included in the attached table.

ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL UNIT (ARU) REQUIREMENT AND STANDARDS

The City is supportive of this change, as it complements the City’s work in increasing the mix of housing options in Mississauga.

Response to Discussion Question 1:
• The in-force zoning related to ARUs is quite flexible in and takes into consideration our local context. A broad exemption of further standards could potential impacts for adjacent properties.
• For internal ARUs, no further changes to the City’s By-Law are necessary. Since most ARU are being accommodated in existing dwelling structures, there is no need to change lot coverage, setbacks, height, etc.
• For external ARUs, Mississauga has already provided zoning flexibility in the form of additional lot coverage and minimal setbacks, while balancing impacts to neighbouring properties through appropriate height and size permissions.
• It should be at the discretion of municipalities to identify reductions in max lot and setbacks requirements to ensure ARUs comply with drainage and Lot Grading By-laws.
• The City request the province make municipalities whole for lost revenue from statutory DC and parkland ARU exemptions.
Response to Discussion Question 2:
• Through the City’s consultation on Increasing Housing Choices in Neighbourhoods the following additional barriers were identified:
o the cost of construction
o impact of being a landlord on personal income tax
o how much property taxes would increase after MPAC reassesses the property with an ARU
o the ability to remove delinquent tenants and LTB backlog
• The City has removed many municipal fees associated with ARUs (e.g. DCs and cash-in-lieu of parkland) and is exploring building permit grants and pre-approved plans as a incentive to increase supply.
• The Province should consider a public education program to encourage Ontarians to become small landlords providing them with relevant resources and financial incentives such as tax incentives.