Across the Greater º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøArea (GTA), although sales of new homes and construction starts are at historic lows, there are indicators that governments at all levels are taking steps to change the channel and deliver new homes.
Municipal leaders across the GTA have shown leadership. Vaughan, Mississauga, and Burlington have all taken meaningful steps to lower and defer development charges (DCs).
º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøhas introduced specialized DC reduction programs, and other municipalities are deferring DC payments until occupancy.
Mississauga’s ‘three strikes and you’re in’ approach to site plan approval is also a strong model for streamlining the process.  The approach, which Vaughan also committed to taking just two weeks ago, limits the amount of municipal feedback during the approval process to just three rounds of comments, thereby eliminating the endless back and forth.
And GTA regions and municipalities such as York, Peel and Durham, Markham and East Gwillimbury, to name a few, have adopted or are considering DC relief measures. While these moves are welcome, a co-ordinated, long-term solution is needed.
That’s why the introduction of Bill 17, The Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, represents a critical turning point.
Federal housing policy, writes Dave Wilkes, must be crafted to be applicable to all regions of
Bill 17, tabled on May 12, offers a much-needed solution to the GTA’s housing crisis. By targeting the structural and process issues that are rendering new housing projects nonviable, this legislation is a crucial step toward restoring housing viability, protecting jobs, and sustaining the region’s growth.
The proposed legislation would defer development charges until occupancy and modernize Ontario’s development charge regime — bringing consistency, transparency, and efficiency to a system that has long been overly complex, expensive, and subject to variability in implementation from one municipality to another.
It will also streamline planning approvals, align construction standards across municipalities, and address cost pressures created by overlapping and inconsistent building standards — structural barriers that have long handcuffed housing delivery in Ontario.
Of course, the devil is in the details.
The province is consulting on many of the regulatory components, and that work must move quickly. Just as importantly, municipalities must implement these changes at speed, and in line with the spirit and intent of the legislation.
Municipal and provincial governments have stepped up to the plate and Prime Minister Mark Carney has an opportunity to add the federal government’s weight as part of the solution to our housing needs.
The focus on housing throughout the campaign was welcomed — and now the new federal government must implement the promised changes. Furthermore, these changes must also be the right ones.
HST exemptions must apply to all new home purchasers, not just first-time buyers or those buying a home under a million dollars — which for the GTA, is far too restrictive and unlikely to assist the average resident.
The development of the Build Canada Homes public builder should be a partnership with the private sector to clear regulatory barriers, support infrastructure, leverage surplus federal lands and bring housing to the market. And changes to DCs must be permanent and apply to all housing types.
Why is it important to move quickly? The implication of not taking action on new homebuilding in the GTA is not solely one of providing adequate housing for the population, it also has real world economic implications. Let’s not forget: the housing and development industry in the GTA directly employs 285,000 people, results in $16.9 billion in wages, and creates $60.8 billion in economic activity.
It is also one of the few major industries where virtually 100 per cent of direct employment is Canadian and 90 per cent of materials are sourced within Canada. Building homes in the GTA literally builds the Canadian economy.
We welcome the direction being taken and urge all stakeholders to support these reforms. The scale of the current housing crisis (and the economic risk posed by further inaction) demands nothing less than swift, co-ordinated leadership at every level.
Together, industry and all levels of government must do what is necessary to ensure that young and new Canadians have the same opportunity to own a home as generations before them.
I am confident we are laying the groundwork to deliver more homes for those seeking to live in the GTA.
As with any meaningful change, the results of these positive steps will take time to work their way through the market.
But we have the opportunity to address the generational housing inequity that is a defining issue of our time. And to borrow a phrase: failure is not an option. Our industry is committed to seeing this through.
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