The second reading debate of Bill 108, the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019, commenced on 8 May 2019. Schedule 3 of Bill 108 proposes changes to the Development Charges Act, 2017 (the “Development Charges Act”).
In moving second reading of Bill 108 on 8 May, Hon. Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, highlighted the following proposed changes to the Development Charges Act and indicated that they would “help increase housing options for Ontarians” and “make it easier to create more rental housing in Ontario”:
- development charges for rental and non-profit housing would be paid over a five-year period instead of upfront;
- one second unit in newly built homes would be exempted from development charges;
- the cost of development would be clearer from the outset as development charges would be temporarily frozen when a municipality receives an application for site plan or zoning approval, whichever comes later.
The proposed amendments also include waste diversion services in the list of services that may be included in development charges, thereby making it easier for municipalities to recover costs for waste diversion. Bill 108 also makes “other complementary amendments to implement the proposed reforms, including measures to ensure a smooth transition to the new authority that allows municipalities to charge for community benefits, which will replace development charges for discounted (soft) services” (see Environmental Registry posting number 019-0017 regarding the proposed changes).
An unofficial blackline version of the Development Charges Act showing the changes proposed by Bill 108 is found here. For further information, please contact us at 416-203-7160 or info@woodbull.ca.