Advancing Housing Initiatives, Ontario’s Affordable Energy Future and Sustainable OPP Costs
AMO Knowledge Exchange on Community and Supportive Housing
On October 1st and 2nd, AMO held a gathering of over 200 municipal, Indigenous, and sector leaders to share understandings, insights, and actions to advance and grow Ontario’s community and supportive housing system.
Municipalities fund more than $1 billion in social housing per year, yet the need for deeply affordable housing continues to rise across the province. The scale of this need surpasses the fiscal capacity of municipalities to address it.
Housing is a top priority in AMO’s call to the province for a Social and Economic Prosperity Review. The stability and sustainability of municipal governments are critical to ensuring that important municipal services continue to support the quality of life of residents and the economic and social prosperity of communities.
AMO is working hard to drive change across Ontario, and we are pleased that so many municipalities joined us at this important event and in our work.
Learn more about the key outcomes of the Knowledge Exchange through reading the summary of proceedings.
Provincial Vision for Ontario’s Energy Future, and Introduction of Bill 214, The Affordable Energy Act
Last week the Minister of Energy and Electrification released Ontario’s Affordable Energy Future, which set out a vision for meeting rising electricity demand while keeping costs down and reducing emissions. Electricity demand is expected to increase by 75% by 2050. Key elements of this vision are:
- Meeting 2030 emissions targets by investing in a mix of energy sources including nuclear, hydro, renewables, natural gas and storage solutions
- Developing an integrated energy resource plan to coordinate planning across all energy partners, including municipalities
- Modernizing local distribution corporation (LDC) funding models to support grid upgrades
- Expanding energy efficiency programs to help people save money on their energy bills
- Exporting electricity
To begin implementing this energy vision, the province has introduced Bill 214, The Affordable Energy Act. This legislation provides a framework for advancing key priorities such as developing an integrated energy plan, prioritizing nuclear generation, and expanding energy efficiency plans.
The province’s vision responds to AMO’s recent calls for a provincial energy plan that commits to decarbonization and sets out a path for meeting Ontario’s growing energy needs. AMO will continue to advocate for these commitments and a plan that ensures residents and businesses have access to clean, reliable and affordable energy.
AMO Advances Advocacy on Additional Residential Units
AMO submitted comments to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on a proposed regulation that seeks to remove barriers to Additional Residential Units (ARUs) by limiting some local zoning by-law requirements for ARUs, such as maximum lot coverage, etc. AMO supports removing barriers to building new housing so long as municipalities have the appropriate tools and flexibility to responsibly manage local growth. At the same time, we remain concerned about the cumulative impact of continued changes to Ontario’s land use planning framework. AMO’s comments call on the province to provide certainty so municipalities and builders can focus on delivering new housing instead of catching up to policy changes.
OPP Billing
AMO has heard ongoing concerns from members related to sizeable increases on their bills from the Ontario Provincial Police. We understand that the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Ontario Provincial Police have heard these concerns and are interested in working with municipalities to mitigate their concerns. AMO will continue to work with the provincial government and share additional information as it becomes available.
Province’s 2024 Housing Forum
Last Friday, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing brought together stakeholders and municipal representatives to discuss how Ontario can best continue to work closely with its partners to remove barriers and get more homes built faster. The forum included presentations and discussion components on:
- Housing-enabling infrastructure, focusing on municipal service corporations and private communal sewage systems. AMO and its members were strong on the critical need for provincial and federal funding to build housing-enabling infrastructure and highlighted key insights from AMO and MFOA’s Water & Wastewater Municipal Services Corporations Backgrounder.
- An update on factory-built (modular) housing indicating that the province is developing a “Factory-Built and Innovative Housing Strategy.”
