4 ways Ontario's omnibus housing bill affects Ottawa

Municipalities are poring over a wide-ranging Ontario government bill meant to speed uphousing construction, trying to decipher what it will mean for them.

"Homes are too expensive to buy and to rent, and there aren't enough of them available to helppeople in need,"said Municipalities and Housing Minister Steve Clarkwhen heannouncedthe bill on May 2.

But the Progressive Conservatives' omnibus bill covers more than where developers get to build, or the fees they pay revenue municipalities rely on.

• Government to introduce sweeping new legislation aimed at increasing housing supply
• Who are the winners and losers in the Ford government's new housing supply plan?

The More Homes, More Choicebillwould alsochangehow new schools are built, howspecies at riskare protectedand even how law enforcement can crack down on illegal cannabis dispensaries.

The City of Ottawa has already weighed in, expressing its hope the legislation won't just cater to the Greater Toronto Area's real estate problems.

Here are just fourof the many changes proposed inthis omnibus bill.

Development fees

Developers pay the City of Ottawa fees for new construction$35,000for a single detached house outside the Greenbelt, for example. The city counts on those tens of millions of dollars to build new roads, transit and other infrastructure so that growth pays for growth.

The new bill meansOttawa will no longer be able to collect development chargesfor such "soft services" as libraries and recreation facilities, according to Steve Willis, the general manager in charge of planning and infrastructure.

This new bill also replaces Section 37 of thePlanning Act a key tool that Ottawa and other cities use tocollect money for such things as community gardens, daycare spaces and affordable housingin exchange for granting developersextra height on their towers.

Instead, Willis said the city will need to come up with an entirely new "community benefits" bylawto raise money for those features,but it will face a cap on how much it can collect froma developerbased on landvalue.

Coun. Jeff Leipersaid that Section 37 revenue has provided an efficientway for communities to get the little things they need in built-up areas like his Kitchissippi ward a water hookup in a parkto flood a rink, for instance.

"I'm very concerned we're going to lose it," he said.

Affordable housing

The former Liberal government gave cities the power to force developers to include affordable housing units, something called inclusionary zoning.

• CBC Ottawa explains: How the city can force developers to build cheaper housing

The City of Ottawa has yet to develop its own bylaw to do that, and would likely have focused on pushing for the cheaper units aroundnew light rail stations anyway.

In fact, this new billlimits inclusionary zoningtoareas around major transit stations, or to areas where the Minister might even stepin and imposewhat's called a "community planning permit"a streamlined approval for a specific area.

Approvalsand appeals

City staff will have to meet tighter timelines if this bill becomes law. For instance, zoning bylaw changes will need to bedealt with in 90 days instead of150,and official plan decisions in 120 days, down from 210.

Once a planning decision is made, the ability to appeala new developmentwill go back to rules that look likethose used by the oldOntario Municipal Board, which the Liberals replaced just a year ago withthe Local Planning Appeals Tribunal.

Community groups welcomed the Liberals' overhaul, because it meant a developer could only challenge a city's decision if the cityfailed to follow official plans and policies.

But the PCsarerepealing those updates, saying the tribunal needs the powers to make timely decisions.

Conservation authorities

Conservation authorities have just seen Ontario's small contribution to their budgets cut in half.

Now,the provinceswant to give municipalities more say over how conservation authorities spend the levy they get fromproperty tax bills, and make them more accountable.

The government says conservation authorities need to focus on their core mandates:dealing with flood risks, running their conservation lands, and protecting drinking water sources. Municipalities shouldn't pay for "frivolous additional expenses," the governmentsays.

To speed up approvals for builders and reduce costs, the government also plans to exempt some "low-risk development"from requiringconservation authority permits, and reducing regulations on areas within 30 to 120 metres of wetlands.