Housing bill threatens funds for parks and rec, city fears

The City of Ottawa has drafted a letter to the Ontario government asking it to removeparts of a sweeping housing bill that could make it more difficult for the city to build new parks and recreation centres.

Ontario tabled its More Homes, More Choiceomnibus bill on May 2.

The bill changes how municipalities areallowed to collect money from developers for so-called "soft services"such as libraries, recreation centres and parks.

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"I cannot imagine the Richcraft[Recreation Complex in Kanata] being built under this model. I can't imagine Millennium Park [in Orlans] necessarily coming forward the way it's being built," planning and infrastructure general manager Steve Willistold Ottawa's planning committee on Tuesday.

According to staff's interpretation of the bill, the city would no longer be able to save up development charges to pay for large projects.

"I would wish to be wrong about that, but that's why we highlighted this as one of the most significant issues... because it applies to every single ward every single community throughout the city," Willis said.

City hoping for a change to provincial housing bill

5 years ago

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Steve Willis, the city's general manager of planning and infrastructure, says the new bill would make it hard for the city to build recreation centres and parks.

No 'one-size-fits-all' solution

The letter needs to be endorsed by council and signed by the mayor at the June 12 council meeting.

It explainshow the city agrees with the PC government's overall idea of boosting housing supply, but is concerned a "one-size-fits-all" solution will have a "negative effect" on communities outside the Greater Toronto Area.

The letter says it's "contrary to the spirit of streamlining" to askthe city to come up with an entirely separate process to collect new "community benefit"charges, instead of sticking with theexisting system of development charges.

The new system would be especially problematic because the new community benefit fee would be set at a percentage of a land's value and land is worth much more in the GTA than elsewhere.

"So any community that doesn't have Toronto-area land values will end up with a much lower amount of money we're allowed to collect, yet it costs us the same amount of money to build an ambulance post as it does in the City of Toronto," Willis pointed out.

City reps could head to Queen's Park

The city also worries the Ontario bill will mean it collects less revenue throughdevelopment chargesto pay for new infrastructure, andargues in the letter that Ottawa's fees, set atfive to seven per cent of the price of new house, are "reasonable".

In a rare move, council will also be asked to send representatives to Queen's Park tomake thecase in person if Bill 108 is debated at astanding committee. Those officials could include planning committee chairJan Harder and rural affairs chair Eli El-Chantiry, along with Willis and city lawyers.

Mayor Jim Watson will also be asked to invite Steve Clark, theMinister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, to Ottawa for a face-to-face meeting to discuss Ottawa's concerns about the housing bill.

Plan 'takesthe politics out of planning'

Clark said his ministry wantsmunicipalities to have a "vital revenue stream" to build communities that have all the facilities they need.

The proposed new community benefits system, he explained by email, "takes the politics out of planning."

One tool that cities use, in particular,has been criticized for its lack of transparency. Section 37 of the Planning Act allows them to negotiate with developers for money in exchange for granting taller buildings. The City of Ottawa also counts on collecting feesand a certain proportion of parkland (or money) from each development. All three tools areaffected by the new bill.

"We are consulting on the best way to replace the current system of 'let's make a deal'planning with a system that puts people and communities first. We firmly believe that growth must pay for growth," Clarkwrote.