
Orillia changes zoning rules to allow more housing options to unlock $4.5M in funding
The City of Orillia is clearing the way for more homes to be built by allowing up to four residential units on a single lot across the city and opening parts of commercially-zones areas to new housing options.
The changes are aimed at securing up to $4.5 million in federal funding through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) Housing Accelerator Fund. Orillia has already received $1.1 million, but will need to meet specific goals by 2027 to receive the full amount, including issuing 908 residential building permits and constructing at least 100 affordable housing units.
'As a council, we are committed to increasing housing in our community, and this funding from CMHC gives us the opportunity to take meaningful steps to fast-track new housing initiatives and boost supply,' said Mayor Don McIsaac. 'By updating key policies, we're making real progress in supporting more housing options, especially affordable ones, right here in Orillia.'
Previously, the City permitted a maximum of three units per residential lot. The new rules increase that number to four, allowing property owners to add additional living spaces. While the zoning has been updated, all new construction must still meet building code and property standards.
To help residents navigate the process, the City has published a guide on its website, outlining steps and requirements for adding additional units to existing properties.
In addition to residential changes in neighbourhoods, Orillia has also amended its policies to allow a mix of residential uses on some commercially-zoned properties in the city's west end, such as areas near big-box retail stores. City staff say this will help transform underused commercial land into sites for housing development.
'We are committed to keeping our planning policies current and taking opportunities that increase our supply of housing,' said Katy Modaressi, Orillia's director of development and infrastructure planning. 'This is a smart way to make better use of existing land and bring more homes to Orillia.'
The changes are part of a broader strategy by the City to address the housing shortage, particularly when it comes to affordability.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Globe and Mail
17 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Barrick Mining's Surging AISC a Drag: Time to Reassess the Cost Curve?
Barrick Mining Corporation B is reeling under the effects of rising unit costs. Its cash costs per ounce of gold and all-in-sustaining costs (AISC) — a critical cost metric for miners — increased around 16% and 20% year over year, respectively, in the first quarter. AISC increased due to higher total cash costs per ounce and higher minesite sustaining capital expenditures. Lower production, partly due to the suspension of operations at the Loulo-Gounkoto mine, also contributed to a surge in its unit costs. While Barrick remains committed to cost discipline, first-quarter results signal the need for more aggressive cost-containment strategies to maintain competitiveness. For 2025, Barrick projects total cash costs per ounce of $1,050-$1,130 and AISC in the range of $1,460-$1,560 per ounce. These projections suggest a year-over-year increase at the midpoint of the respective ranges. Increased minesite sustaining capital spending and higher labor and energy costs may lead to increased costs. Investors should closely monitor Barrick's next quarter as persistently elevated unit costs could erode margins and pressure future capital returns. Among its major peers, Newmont Corporation NEM also saw around 15% year-over-year increase in AISC in the March quarter. Newmont expects gold AISC for the total portfolio to be $1,630 per ounce in 2025, reflecting a rise from $1,516 per ounce in 2024. Newmont, in particular, is stung by higher labor costs, which constitute about half of its direct costs. Agnico Eagle Mines Limited AEM total cash costs per ounce of gold were up modestly from the previous year to $903. While AISC declined 0.6% in the first quarter due to the deferral of certain sustaining capital expenditures, Agnico Eagle projects the same to increase in the remainder of 2025. Agnico Eagle forecasts total cash costs per ounce in the range of $915 to $965 and AISC per ounce between $1,250 and $1,300 for 2025, suggesting a year-over-year increase at the midpoint of the respective ranges. B's Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates Shares of Barrick have popped 31% year to date against the Zacks Mining – Gold industry's rise of 49%, thanks to the gold price rally. From a valuation standpoint, B is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 10.75, a roughly 20% discount when stacked up with the industry average of 13.49X. It carries a Value Score of A. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for B's 2025 and 2026 earnings implies a year-over-year uptick of 34.1% and 26.6%, respectively. The EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been trending higher over the past 60 days. B stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Only $1 to See All Zacks' Buys and Sells We're not kidding. Several years ago, we shocked our members by offering them 30-day access to all our picks for the total sum of only $1. No obligation to spend another cent. Thousands have taken advantage of this opportunity. Thousands did not - they thought there must be a catch. Yes, we do have a reason. We want you to get acquainted with our portfolio services like Surprise Trader, Stocks Under $10, Technology Innovators, and more, that closed 256 positions with double- and triple-digit gains in 2024 alone. See Stocks Now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Newmont Corporation (NEM): Free Stock Analysis Report Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM): Free Stock Analysis Report Barrick Mining Corporation (B): Free Stock Analysis Report


CBC
21 minutes ago
- CBC
'A tough time': Business owner speaks out after 100% increase in CaféTO fees
A Toronto business owner says his CaféTO patio fees have increased by $1,000 this year, resulting in uncertainty and stress. Nick Lui, owner and chef at Little Italy's DaiLo, has been taking part in the summer patio program since it first launched as a temporary measure in 2020. He says he paid about $900 in CaféTO fees last year, but had to pay almost $1,900 this year – more than a 100 per cent increase. "We're going through a tough time," he told CBC News on Wednesday. "All these extra costs affect the bottom line. When you're a small business, especially like a restaurant, your margins are pretty small," said Lui. CaféTO started in 2020 as a temporary way to help restaurants stay open through COVID-19 restrictions by allowing them to expand outside, taking over curbs and parking spaces with patio space. Following positive feedback from restaurants and the public, the program became permanent in 2023. In 2023, the annual permit was $14.56 per square metre for sidewalk patios and $43.70 per square metre for curb lane patios, while application fees were $285. This year, the annual permit was $44.14 per square metre for sidewalk patios and $132.42 per square metre for curb lane patios, while application fees were $977.45. Liu says the city should be doing something to help restaurants, not the opposite. "This is something to help the restaurant, not just something to make money for the government," said Lui. Mayor Olivia Chow says the city wants the restaurants that are taking some of the road spaces to pay a "small share of the cost to help put the patio out there." "We are still subsidizing these small businesses because it's important to generate support," said Chow at a news conference in Scarborough Wednesday. "But we just don't want to do 100 per cent of it, which is why the restaurants are paying a share of the cost." The city of Toronto said in a statement Wednesday that it charges fees for the usage of public space as a standard policy to ensure "fairness to businesses and taxpayers." Fees have been phased in between 2023 and 2025 to ensure manageable costs for operators while supporting the program's growth, the city said. "This phased in approach re-introduced fees at 33 per cent in 2023, at 66 per cent in 2024, and at 100 per cent in 2025," said the statement. The city says there will be no increase until 2029 to provide additional financial relief. Joe Cote, chief growth officer for Merchant Growth, a digital financing company for small businesses, works closely with business owners navigating stresses. He says CaféTO was a great low-cost measure to help small businesses during the pandemic, but the new fee increase is "quite extensive." "It's not that there's been a marginal fee increase. The fee is more than doubled, which is just a bit absurd to a lot of small business owners to understand why," said Cote. "It's less about the fee. It's more about the burden of another increased cost," he said. Cote said the city should be taking another look at the fee increase and reassess whether or not it will actually support small businesses.


CBC
21 minutes ago
- CBC
B.C. company pressures feds to pave way for $750M gas export facility in Prince Rupert
Social Sharing A major B.C. exporter has announced it is ready to invest $750 million in a new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) export facility in Prince Rupert, B.C. — though it still faces a legal battle against the Port of Prince Rupert in order for it to move ahead. Additionally, Trigon Pacific Terminals CEO Rob Booker is urging the federal government to expedite the approval process for the project, arguing it is in that national interest against the backdrop of a trade war with the United States that has Canada seeking new markets for its oil products. Booker says the company's board has given full spending approval for the project, which could be operational as soon as 2029 and would focus on selling product to Japan, South Korea and India, rather than the United States. If it moves ahead, it would have an annual capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per year. "I think this project clearly aligns with federal priorities with respect to Canadian energy security, Canadian export focus away from the U.S.," he said. "It's a win-win-win, in that it's shovel-ready and ready to go and has the money to do it." Trigon operates the largest export terminal at the Port of Prince Rupert, the third-busiest port in Canada. Its focus is primarily on metallurgical coal but it is seeking to diversify into liquefied gas and other products destined for overseas markets. The project is backed by both the Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla First Nations, who have equity positions in Trigon, as well as the Albertan government, where much of Canada's petroleum is produced. Brian Jean, Alberta's minister of energy and minerals, called the investment decision "great news for Canada and Alberta." Project could be blocked by exclusivity deal However, aside from regulatory hurdles, Trigon is also facing a legal battle in order to proceed. Last year, the company sued the Port of Prince Rupert, arguing the port is blocking its attempt to change its business model to include liquid gas exports. B.C. coal exporter suing port authority over right to send propane overseas 1 year ago Duration 1:33 The Port of Prince Rupert says Trigon Terminals can't export liquid propane to Asia because two other companies have exclusive rights to do so. Trigon, which is trying to move away from exporting thermal coal, is now suing the port authority over the matter. However, the port has an exclusivity deal with the exporters AltaGas and Vopak who have approved their own $1.35 billion export facility in Prince Rupert and who say part of that decision was based on the deal, which provides them with security in exchange for the investment of time and money needed to advance the project. The Port of Prince Rupert, for its part, has filed a countersuit against Trigon, claiming the initial lawsuit is damaging the port's reputation as a reliable partner and that violating exclusivity could harm future deals. Asked about those lawsuits, Booker said he is "confident there are several paths the federal government can take to make this a win for everyone." Emissions from fossil fuel production rising The federal government has not weighed in on the project, but last week the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney introduced new legislation aimed at fast-tracking major projects, with five criteria to determine whether they are in the "national interest." Those criteria include the project's likelihood of success, whether it would strengthen the country's resiliency and advance the interests of Indigenous Peoples, and whether it would contribute to economic growth in an environmentally responsible way. However, some environmental groups have expressed concern that the threats from the United States are being used as a way to force through projects that would previously have been blocked due to their environmental impacts. Those concerns come as much of western Canada, including parts of B.C., are once again blanketed by smoke from wildfires that have worsened, in part, because of rising temperatures. While Canada's emissions have dropped slightly, the most recent analysis from the Canadian Climate Institute found the progress was largely offset by an increase in emissions from oil and gas production, which as of last year's analysis, made up 31 per cent of Canada's national total.