2. Ontario Home Builders’
Association
Joe Vaccaro – CEO OHBA
Leith Moore – OHBA Past President & Chair
Planning Decisions Committee (OMB)
Lyn Townsend – Chair OHBA DC Committee
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
3. Fighting for Affordability and Fairness
Provincial Government Announces Two Consultations
– Ontario’s land-use planning system and decision
making process, including land-use appeals to the
Ontario Municipal Board (OMB); and
– The Development Charges Act (DCA) and other
municipal development related fees and charges
(section 37 agreements, cash-in-lieu of parkland
dedication, etc.).
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
4. Fighting for Affordability and Fairness
Long road to the announcement:
– AMO has been seeking DCA review for over a decade
– Previous provincial legislation amending OMB rules
– Municipal pressure to “abolish” OMB
– PC & NDP Private Members Bills
– Negative media coverage / Minority politics
– Multiple Stakeholder Meetings
– New Premier with a new outlook
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
5. Fighting for Affordability and Fairness
OHBA Response:
– Welcome dialogue on
transparency, affordability, fairness and accountability
– Long history with consistent association advocacy
positions based on facts and evidence
– OHBA engaged with Premier’s & Minister’s offices
– Minister Jeffrey event with 350 members last Friday
and Premier Wynne at President’s Gala Monday
– Striking of two ad-hoc committees
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
6. Fighting for Affordability and Fairness
Context:
– Minority government is a challenge: politics vs policy
– Municipalities have strong positions & large soap box
– Media & public lack understanding on complex issues
– Province has uploaded billions in social program costs &
contributes billions more to infrastructure
– Federal government increased support to municipalities
– Municipalities continue to demand more funding
– Intensification is a local political challenge
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
7. Fighting for Affordability and Fairness
Planning Decision (OMB) Review:
– OMB is over 100 years old, role has evolved
– Legislative changes occurred in 2004 & 2007
– City of Toronto can set-up Local Appeal Tribunal
– PC & NDP Private Members Bills sought to reduce scope
and power of the OMB
– Controversial OMB decisions & public/media fallout
– Intense municipal public relations campaign to erode
public confidence in the role of the OMB
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
8. Fighting for Affordability and Fairness
Planning Decision (OMB) Review:
– Premier Wynne stated that OMB will not be “abolished”
– OHBA engaged in fact & evidence-based discussion
– OHBA focus on improvements at front end of process to
reduce issues and appeals at back end of process
– Provincial policy supporting intensification results in
more land-use and local political conflicts within system
– Academic third party research finds OMB most often
renders decisions supporting municipal professional
planning staff
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
9. Fighting for Affordability and Fairness
Development Charges Review:
– Existing legislation in place since 1997
– Significant DC increases across Ontario
– Significant municipal abuse of DCA
– Greater use of “voluntary” charges & other creative
accounting practices to increase charges
– Long municipal laundry list of “asks” to increase charges
– Accountability / Transparency / Fairness / Affordability
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
10. Fighting for Affordability and Fairness
Development Charges Review:
– Expect discussion on utilizing DCs as financial tool to
aide planning policy in shift development patterns
– Expect discussion on expanding scope of DCA
– Metrolinx Investment Strategy recommends increased
DCs to fund transit expansion
– Other non-DC Government Imposed Charges to be
included in discussion: Sec 37, Parkland Dedication etc
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
11. Fighting for Affordability and Fairness
Next Steps:
– Provincial Government has not officially launched
consultations – additional details are expected
– Two ad-hoc committees will begin meetings in October
to scope out initial OHBA positions and potential
recommendations
– Volunteer and local association resources and
recommendations will be required throughout process
– Advocate, Inform & Educate
Ontario Home Builders’ Association
