Bill 23, known as the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, introduced significant changes to Ontario’s land use planning and development framework, with implications for London City Council’s policies and by-laws. These changes aim to address the housing crisis by facilitating the construction of 1.5 million new homes over the next decade. Key amendments introduced by Bill 23 include:
- Site Plan Control Changes: The act proposes amendments to the Planning Act’s section 41, specifically affecting site plan control areas for residential development proposals. Notably, exterior design elements are no longer subject to site plan control, which limits municipalities’ ability to regulate aesthetic aspects of landscape design. Additionally, residential development proposals of up to 10 units are exempt from site plan control, excluding land lease communities.
- Reduction in Parkland Requirements: Bill 23 introduces major adjustments to parkland requirements under the Planning Act. High-density residential developments will see their parkland dedication requirements halved, capped at 15% of the land’s area or value. The act also specifies that the parkland fee calculation will occur much earlier in the planning process, with exemptions for affordable and attainable housing units from these requirements.
- Changes to the Development Charges Act: The act aims to reduce bureaucratic costs and delays in construction by introducing exemptions for affordable and attainable housing from development charges, parkland dedication fees, and community benefit charges. There are also reductions and exemptions in development charges for rental construction and additional residential units, encouraging the development of more rental housing.
- Ontario Heritage Act Amendments: Bill 23 includes comprehensive changes to the Ontario Heritage Act, focusing on the inclusion and removal of non-designated properties from a municipality’s heritage register based on new criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest.
These changes reflect the Ontario government’s broader efforts to increase housing supply and affordability by reducing regulatory burdens and incentivizing certain types of residential development. London City Council, like other municipalities in Ontario, will need to adjust its local planning and development policies to align with these provincial mandates. See London’s response to Bill 23 here.