AMO Response to BILD Report

A report released by Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) report today cited municipal approval timelines and development charges key issues in explaining declining housing starts.   

AMO Executive Director Brian Rosborough responded with the following statement:  

• Ontario’s housing market is complex and under pressure from unanticipated population growth, interest rates, labour shortages and inflation that has outstripped wages.    
   
• Legislative changes in 2022, introduced at the request of lobbyists for the development industry, reduced development charges which cover costs for infrastructure for new houses, destabilized the system and brought development to a standstill in many communities.  
   
• To its credit, the province recognized the mistake and Minister Calandra has worked with municipalities and the industry to reverse the worst elements of the 2022 legislation and restore stability and predictability to the system.  
   
• The province has made substantial investments in infrastructure to support additional housing starts.  AMO and the Ministry have also been working together to help the Government of Canada to avoid similar, disastrous mistakes and to better understand the realities of Ontario’s complex housing market.  
   
• The solution to the housing affordability crisis will be found through collaboration between the province, municipalities and the development industry, and through industry innovation.   
   
• Ontario has an extraordinarily capable and prosperous development industry. Pointing fingers at municipalities and lobbying the province for taxpayer subsidies is not the solution to the headwinds it is facing today.