I disapprove of the proposed…

I disapprove of the proposed amendments to the Planning Act under the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024. Removing the Minister’s authority to make Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator orders undermines a critical tool for addressing community-specific housing needs. Although a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) remains an option, its application lacks the transparency and community-specific focus provided by the Accelerator orders. The new zoning order framework, while claiming to guide requests transparently, does not adequately replace the nuanced approach of the Accelerator orders. The recent request for a Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator order in Vaughan exemplifies the need for maintaining such mechanisms to address local needs effectively. Therefore, substituting Accelerator orders with MZOs, even with municipal support and adherence to the zoning order framework, is an insufficient and less effective approach.

I strongly oppose the use of a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) for the proposed high-density residential development near Langstaff and the Highway 400 onramp due to existing traffic congestion and lack of transportation studies. The Region of York correctly points out that introducing high-density residential uses in this area, surrounded by employment zones, would create an isolated community lacking essential services. Vaughan has designated intensification areas, and this site is not one of them. The development lacks servicing allocation, contradicts the York Region’s 2022 Water and Wastewater Master Plan, and has not been considered in the City’s Urban Water Plan. Additionally, the site's high water table and confined artesian aquifer conditions pose geotechnical risks that have not been addressed. Using an MZO without the necessary studies is inappropriate and irresponsible.