Province unveils reforms to accelerate home construction, but distances itself from 1.5 million homes goal
Ontario’s government appeared to step back from its high-profile pledge to build 1.5 million homes in a decade, as new legislation was introduced to accelerate housing construction but stopped short of reaffirming the ambitious target.
Municipal Affairs and Housing minister Rob Flack tabled the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act on Thursday, promising to streamline approvals and cut red tape for developers.
“Simply put, it takes too long and it costs too much to build infrastructure and homes in Ontario,” Flack said at a press conference.
“This legislation continues to build on the work we have done previously to create the conditions [for] homebuilders to do what they do best and that is to build.”
When pressed on whether the bill would be enough to meet the 1.5 million homes target, Flack was noncommittal.
“I’m committed to getting shovels in the ground faster,” he said. “I’m looking at the next six to 12 months to get this thing kick started. The future will be the future. We’re in a housing crisis. We get it.”
Industry leaders have long called for measures to reduce the costs and delays associated with new housing. Ontario Real Estate Association’s (OREA) has welcomed the new housing bill, describing it as a “big step in the right direction” for tackling the province’s chronic housing shortage and modernizing infrastructure approvals.
Dave Wilkes, president and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association, stated, “This bill acknowledges and addresses the importance of producing housing supply faster, at a scale and cost to meet the needs of Ontario families.”
The bill proposes changes to streamline municipal approvals, standardize development charges, and reduce regulatory burdens in the Building Code.
The legislation would also create a new public corporation for water and wastewater services, initially in Peel Region, to broaden financing options and reduce reliance on development charges for infrastructure.
Additionally, the bill’s emphasis on transit-oriented communities and expedited site planning could help address bottlenecks in housing delivery along new GO Transit corridors.
Ontario’s housing starts in 2024 fell short of what’s needed to reach the 1.5 million homes goal, with first-quarter 2025 starts at their lowest since 2009, according to the province’s financial accountability officer. Homebuilders have consistently argued that reducing taxes and fees would do more to spur development than regulatory tweaks alone.
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