The first major piece of housing legislation to come out of Queen’s Park after the Greenbelt scandal was a bill aimed at building 1.5 million homes by 2031. However, the bill was delayed by almost a month as key policy measures were scrapped, leading critics to believe that Premier Doug Ford had a hand in the changes. Titled the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, the law removed parking minimums near transit stations, reversed discounts for developers, and allowed universities to bypass the Planning Act to build accommodation faster. However, internal documents revealed that key elements of the original vision were left out of the final law, including the automatic approval of fourplexes province-wide, a policy that officials had long wanted to introduce.
A Progressive Conservative source revealed that the idea of mandating four-unit developments had been considered in previous housing laws but had not made it into the final draft. The government was also considering allowing up to four units per lot in major transit areas, expanding on a previous rule that allowed three units per property. However, Premier Ford began criticizing the policy, eventually declaring it “off the table” for his government. His opposition to fourplexes drew criticism from opposition parties and some within his own party, with accusations that he was being a NIMBY. Another policy to require minimum densities near subway and light-rail stations was also scrapped before the bill was tabled.
Despite the government’s admission that aggressive changes were necessary to achieve the housing target, some key policies were missing from the final legislation. Ford defended his decision to leave density decisions up to municipal leaders, suggesting that they know their cities best. However, a proposed measure to increase density along Ontario’s subway and Go train network was removed from the bill. Internal documents also indicated that the scrapped fourplex policy and parking minimum changes were originally intended to target transit-riding students and allow residents to decide the amount of parking needed. NDP housing critic Jessica Bell criticized Ford for not being brave enough in his government’s housing policies, stating that necessary zoning reforms are being ignored.
The housing minister’s official calendar revealed a series of cancelled meetings related to the legislation during the month of March, indicating that parts of the bill were being rewritten and redrawn. Despite the bill being tabled in April, it appeared that even some of the announced measures had been watered down. The law eliminated parking minimums near transit stations, allowing developers to decide on parking spaces or use the space for more housing. However, the original intent to target transit-riding students with this policy appeared to be removed. The government did not address questions about why the law was modified or why it was delayed. Critics, including opposition parties, suggested that Ford’s government lacked the courage to implement necessary housing reforms.
