Latest news with #Bill17
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Ford government bulldozes green building standards with new legislation
The Ford government passed controversial legislation on Tuesday, stripping Ontario cities of the ability to set their own green building standards. Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act , was introduced last month by the provincial government in response to housing pressures and economic uncertainty. The legislation is intended to 'streamline development processes' and 'reduce costs' by establishing consistent construction standards across all municipalities, the government said. But critics say passage of the bill was rushed without proper consultation, denying municipalities, large and small, the ability to confront climate threats. Currently, at least 14 municipalities in Ontario, including Toronto and Hamilton, have adopted policies requiring new buildings to meet higher environmental performance benchmarks. Those will be invalidated by the new legislation. 'There is no doubt in my mind that Bill 17 will make flooding and other extreme weather impacts worse in many communities across Ontario,' said How-Sen Chong, climate campaigner at the Toronto Environmental Alliance. The changes mean municipalities are not allowed to pass bylaws for the construction or demolition of buildings — a move widely seen by experts and advocates as targeting municipal green building standards. The legislation also requires municipal councils to get written approval from the provincial minister of municipal affairs and housing before making certain changes to their official plans, further restricting cities' control over planning and development. 'Unfortunately, late last week, Doug Ford's government pushed the bill directly to the legislature without going through the committee process first,' Chong said. 'The problem with that is committees are where you hear from experts, organizations, and individuals who are impacted — or could be impacted — by a bill.' The bill now includes new regulations that limit what municipalities can request from developers during the planning process. Under the new legislation, cities are no longer allowed to require information on key design and environmental factors like shadow impact, wind conditions, urban design alignment or exterior lighting. Both Toronto and Hamilton are reviewing the implications of Bill 17. In Toronto, a city spokesperson said staff have been asked to prepare a report on the bill's potential impacts for the executive committee meeting later this month and are continuing to assess the proposed changes. Bryan Purcell, vice president of policy and programs at The Atmospheric Fund, said Bill 17 would severely undermine cities' ability to regulate development, leading to higher emissions and less climate-resilient buildings. 'Municipalities have a legislated responsibility to protect public health and environmental wellbeing,' Purcell said. 'Restricting their ability to exercise those duties will not protect Ontario or build housing faster. It will only reduce the quality of new housing and communities and expose Ontarian residents to greater environmental risks.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Ford government moves to override cities on green building standards
The Ford government is rushing to pass legislation that would strip cities of one of their most effective tools to confront climate threats: green building standards. Experts say these standards, developed over years by municipalities, are designed to ensure new buildings are safer, cleaner, more resilient and more affordable to operate in the face of a growing climate crisis. Ontario cities have been dealing with heatwaves and floods in increasing numbers and severity, and building codes have been put in place to help new construction adapt. Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act , was introduced last month by the Ford government in response to housing pressures and economic uncertainty. The province says the legislation will 'streamline development processes' and 'reduce costs' by establishing consistent construction standards across all municipalities. A key amendment in the bill makes it clear that municipalities are not allowed to pass bylaws related to the construction or demolition of buildings — a move widely seen by experts and advocates as targeting municipal green-building standards. The bill also requires municipal councils to get written approval from the provincial minister of municipal affairs and housing before making certain changes to their official plans, further restricting cities' control over planning and development. The bill also includes new regulations that would limit what municipalities can request from developers during the planning process. If passed, cities would no longer be allowed to require information on key design and environmental factors — such as shadow impact, wind conditions, urban design alignment, or exterior lighting — as part of a complete application for developments. Currently, at least 14 municipalities in Ontario, including Toronto and Hamilton, have adopted policies requiring new buildings to meet higher environmental performance benchmarks. In Toronto, the green standard outlines detailed criteria covering air quality, energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction. Developers must meet requirements related to tree planting, pedestrian access, bike parking and on-site stormwater management to reduce flood risk during heavy rainfall. They must also include sufficient tree cover to mitigate extreme heat. The standard requires that new residential parking be EV-ready — a requirement the Ford government removed from the provincial building code — and sets annual greenhouse gas emission limits, encouraging developers to choose low-carbon heating systems like heat pumps instead of natural gas. None of these regulations would be permitted to remain under the new law. The city is also considering a near-zero emissions target for all new buildings by 2030, since buildings account for 58 per cent of its total emissions. With more than 500 new condo towers expected to be built in the next five years, Toronto's ability to align rapid housing growth with its climate goals depends heavily on the enforcement of these standards. Hamilton is also ramping up its climate efforts with new green building standards set to take effect in 2025. The rules, adopted by council last year, will apply to future homes, businesses and public spaces, requiring higher performance in energy efficiency, water conservation, stormwater and waste management, and eco-friendly design. To combat the urban heat island effect, reflective or green roofing materials will be required, and builders will be encouraged to plant trees and preserve green space. Both Toronto and Hamilton are reviewing the implications of Bill 17. In Toronto, a city spokesperson said staff have been asked to prepare a report on the bill's potential impacts for the executive committee meeting later this month and are continuing to assess the proposed changes. Bryan Purcell, vice president of policy and programs at The Atmospheric Fund, said Bill 17 would severely undermine cities' ability to regulate development, leading to higher emissions and less climate-resilient buildings. The Ontario Building Code hasn't been updated since 2017 and according to The Atmospheric Fund, falls short of supporting cities' climate goals with emission limits or tiered standards (like BC's Energy Step Code ) to guide low-carbon construction. 'Municipalities have a legislated responsibility to protect public health and environmental wellbeing,' Purcell said. 'Restricting their ability to exercise those duties will not protect Ontario or build housing faster. It will only reduce the quality of new housing and communities and expose Ontarian residents to greater environmental risks.' Lana Goldberg, a climate campaigner at says Ontario's Bill 17 is 'a giant gift to big developers and Enbridge Gas.' She says green building standards adopted by cities are designed to cut emissions by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and encouraging builders to use clean energy technologies like electric heat pumps. But Bill 17 would override those efforts, allowing developers to keep constructing outdated, high-emission buildings and enabling Enbridge to keep connecting new homes to gas infrastructure. Records show Enbridge has been lobbying Ontario on building codes, while one developer association, the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON), has actively opposed municipal green standards — launching a legal challenge against Toronto's rules last year. 'This bill looks like it was written by developers and fossil fuel executives. Our homes and communities shouldn't be dictated by either,' Goldberg said. 'If the province doesn't want to take climate action, it should get out of the way of municipalities that do.' While the Ford government claims the bill will make housing cheaper and faster to build, Ryan Zizzo, CEO of Mantle Developments, says green development standards are not a significant factor in slowing down housing projects and their impact on cost or timelines is less than one per cent. According to Zizzo, these standards help prevent expensive problems down the road, like flooded basements and rising energy bills. 'There are so many additional costs that arise if we don't get the design right in the first place,' Zizzo said. Zizzo also emphasized that modern standards are about future-proofing buildings, including preparing for growing demand for electric vehicle charging. 'If we don't build for that now, we'll just have to retrofit everything in 10 or 20 years — and that will be 10 times more expensive,' he said. 'Doing it right from the start is not only more efficient, it's smarter for affordability and resilience.' The cost of retrofitting older buildings and homes to meet climate goals will be significant. According to the Pembina Institute, the federal government, in partnership with provinces and utilities, will need to invest $10 billion to $15 billion annually over the next 20 years to achieve these targets. Mike Collins-Williams, CEO of the West End Home Builders' Association, sees things differently. In an email, he praised Bill 17 as 'strong provincial leadership' by cutting down on local planning studies and creating a single, standardized Ontario Building Code. 'We have one building code in Ontario — not 444,' he said, referring to the number of municipalities. 'That is exactly why Bill 17 is so critical to ensure common, harmonized standards across Ontario.' Collins-Williams acknowledged many builders are already voluntarily meeting high-efficiency standards but said these should be consistent across the province — not set by individual municipalities. 'Individual municipal green standards are highly problematic from this perspective, as they are not informed by the same rigorous multi-year technical reviews that occur at the national and provincial level and create a balkanization of standards across the province.' The West End Home Builders' Association says Hamilton's new green standards could add tens of thousands to per-unit costs and delay projects, with few real gains for sustainability. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
National Observer
2 days ago
- Business
- National Observer
Ford government moves to override cities on green building standards
The Ford government is rushing to pass legislation that would strip cities of one of their most effective tools to confront climate threats: green building standards. Experts say these standards, developed over years by municipalities, are designed to ensure new buildings are safer, cleaner, more resilient and more affordable to operate in the face of a growing climate crisis. Ontario cities have been dealing with heatwaves and floods in increasing numbers and severity, and building codes have been put in place to help new construction adapt. Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, was introduced last month by the Ford government in response to housing pressures and economic uncertainty. The province says the legislation will 'streamline development processes' and 'reduce costs' by establishing consistent construction standards across all municipalities. A key amendment in the bill makes it clear that municipalities are not allowed to pass bylaws related to the construction or demolition of buildings — a move widely seen by experts and advocates as targeting municipal green-building standards. The bill also requires municipal councils to get written approval from the provincial minister of municipal affairs and housing before making certain changes to their official plans, further restricting cities' control over planning and development. The bill also includes new regulations that would limit what municipalities can request from developers during the planning process. If passed, cities would no longer be allowed to require information on key design and environmental factors — such as shadow impact, wind conditions, urban design alignment, or exterior lighting — as part of a complete application for developments. What cities will lose Currently, at least 14 municipalities in Ontario, including Toronto and Hamilton, have adopted policies requiring new buildings to meet higher environmental performance benchmarks. A key amendment in the bill makes it clear that municipalities are not allowed to pass bylaws related to the construction or demolition of buildings — a move widely seen by experts and advocates as targeting municipal green-building standards. In Toronto, the green standard outlines detailed criteria covering air quality, energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction. Developers must meet requirements related to tree planting, pedestrian access, bike parking and on-site stormwater management to reduce flood risk during heavy rainfall. They must also include sufficient tree cover to mitigate extreme heat. The standard requires that new residential parking be EV-ready — a requirement the Ford government removed from the provincial building code — and sets annual greenhouse gas emission limits, encouraging developers to choose low-carbon heating systems like heat pumps instead of natural gas. None of these regulations would be permitted to remain under the new law. The city is also considering a near-zero emissions target for all new buildings by 2030, since buildings account for 58 per cent of its total emissions. With more than 500 new condo towers expected to be built in the next five years, Toronto's ability to align rapid housing growth with its climate goals depends heavily on the enforcement of these standards. Hamilton is also ramping up its climate efforts with new green building standards set to take effect in 2025. The rules, adopted by council last year, will apply to future homes, businesses and public spaces, requiring higher performance in energy efficiency, water conservation, stormwater and waste management, and eco-friendly design. To combat the urban heat island effect, reflective or green roofing materials will be required, and builders will be encouraged to plant trees and preserve green space. Both Toronto and Hamilton are reviewing the implications of Bill 17. In Toronto, a city spokesperson said staff have been asked to prepare a report on the bill's potential impacts for the executive committee meeting later this month and are continuing to assess the proposed changes. Bryan Purcell, vice president of policy and programs at The Atmospheric Fund, said Bill 17 would severely undermine cities' ability to regulate development, leading to higher emissions and less climate-resilient buildings. The Ontario Building Code hasn't been updated since 2017 and according to The Atmospheric Fund, falls short of supporting cities' climate goals with emission limits or tiered standards (like BC's Energy Step Code) to guide low-carbon construction. 'Municipalities have a legislated responsibility to protect public health and environmental wellbeing,' Purcell said. 'Restricting their ability to exercise those duties will not protect Ontario or build housing faster. It will only reduce the quality of new housing and communities and expose Ontarian residents to greater environmental risks.' 'A gift to big developers' Lana Goldberg, a climate campaigner at says Ontario's Bill 17 is 'a giant gift to big developers and Enbridge Gas.' She says green building standards adopted by cities are designed to cut emissions by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and encouraging builders to use clean energy technologies like electric heat pumps. But Bill 17 would override those efforts, allowing developers to keep constructing outdated, high-emission buildings and enabling Enbridge to keep connecting new homes to gas infrastructure. Records show Enbridge has been lobbying Ontario on building codes, while one developer association, the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON), has actively opposed municipal green standards — launching a legal challenge against Toronto's rules last year. 'This bill looks like it was written by developers and fossil fuel executives. Our homes and communities shouldn't be dictated by either,' Goldberg said. 'If the province doesn't want to take climate action, it should get out of the way of municipalities that do.' Developers split on the need for standards While the Ford government claims the bill will make housing cheaper and faster to build, Ryan Zizzo, CEO of Mantle Developments, says green development standards are not a significant factor in slowing down housing projects and their impact on cost or timelines is less than one per cent. According to Zizzo, these standards help prevent expensive problems down the road, like flooded basements and rising energy bills. 'There are so many additional costs that arise if we don't get the design right in the first place,' Zizzo said. Zizzo also emphasized that modern standards are about future-proofing buildings, including preparing for growing demand for electric vehicle charging. 'If we don't build for that now, we'll just have to retrofit everything in 10 or 20 years — and that will be 10 times more expensive,' he said. 'Doing it right from the start is not only more efficient, it's smarter for affordability and resilience.' The cost of retrofitting older buildings and homes to meet climate goals will be significant. According to the Pembina Institute, the federal government, in partnership with provinces and utilities, will need to invest $10 billion to $15 billion annually over the next 20 years to achieve these targets. Mike Collins-Williams, CEO of the West End Home Builders' Association, sees things differently. In an email, he praised Bill 17 as 'strong provincial leadership' by cutting down on local planning studies and creating a single, standardized Ontario Building Code. 'We have one building code in Ontario — not 444,' he said, referring to the number of municipalities. 'That is exactly why Bill 17 is so critical to ensure common, harmonized standards across Ontario.' Collins-Williams acknowledged many builders are already voluntarily meeting high-efficiency standards but said these should be consistent across the province — not set by individual municipalities. 'Individual municipal green standards are highly problematic from this perspective, as they are not informed by the same rigorous multi-year technical reviews that occur at the national and provincial level and create a balkanization of standards across the province.' The West End Home Builders' Association says Hamilton's new green standards could add tens of thousands to per-unit costs and delay projects, with few real gains for sustainability.
Canada Standard
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Canada Standard
Ontario Legislation Could Override Local Green Standards, Stall Climate Progress
A new Ontario bill could set back green building efforts and mark "the beginning of the end of urban planning" in the province, gutting city-led climate policies as extreme weather risks are rising, warn critics. Bill 17, the proposed Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, would override bylaws like Toronto's Green Standard by "clarifying" that municipalities do not have jurisdiction to set green construction standards. Climate advocates say the measure would stall progress on municipal climate goals while burdening homeowners with higher energy and retrofit costs down the line. The Doug Ford government says the bill will bring regulatory consistency across Ontario, speed up construction, and reduce housing costs. But the provincial building code lacks many of the green features cities like Toronto require, writes The Canadian Press. The Toronto Green Standard, for example, mandates stormwater retention features to reduce flood risk during heavy rainfall, minimum tree canopy coverage to combat extreme heat, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new residential parking spaces. The Ford government eliminated that last requirement from its own code shortly after coming to power. The bill follows a legal challenge filed last year by the Residential Construction Council of Ontario-an association of builders-to block Toronto from enforcing standards beyond those set out in the Ontario Building Code. The council was incensed by Toronto's green standards, which aim to improve air quality, transportation, energy usage, water efficiency, and waste diversion with a checklist of requirements for developers of new buildings, reports The Trillium. "These include everything from bicycle parking and pedestrian walkways to energy efficiency targets, trash compaction guidelines, and tree-planting quotas." View our latest digests Bill 17 will gut green building standards implemented in several other cities across Ontario, warn environmental advocates. The bill as it is now written will "set back green building efforts by 15 years," said Bryan Purcell, vice-president of policy and programs at The Atmospheric Fund (TAF), citing the period of time the Toronto Green Standard has been in place. "As buildings are the largest source of carbon emissions in most cities, it would make it impossible for cities to reach their climate targets," Purcell told The Energy Mix . The bill could lock nearly all new buildings into using gas as a primary fuel source, which would saddle home and building owners with higher energy costs while undercutting the economics of green building technology and services. "And it would create huge costs down the road, as retrofitting buildings to get off gas or enable electric vehicle charging is five to 10 times more expensive than building it right to begin with," he added. Other environmental organizations have also warned against the bill. In one recent post, the Toronto Environmental Alliance said the legislation would completely undermine municipal planning authority, leaving cities with few tools to adapt regulations to local conditions. Environmental Defence says the bill claims to address construction challenges, but focuses on "scapegoating municipal policies" instead of fixing the root issues-namely, provincial restrictions against mid-rise developments, which have caused a shortage of family-sized homes. "McMansion" rebuilds and sprawl are further problems, it adds. The Ontario government says its action to block municipal building bylaws is only a "clarification" to existing legislation-in particular, Section 8 of the Building Code Act , the legal foundation of the province's building code-which regulates how building permits are issued. But TAF argues that a city has the right to set green building standards unless they conflict with provincial rules. Purcell points to section 35(1), which he says "is generally interpreted to mean that if a building code requirement actively conflicts with a municipal bylaw, then the building code requirement takes precedence." That section authorizes local municipalities to pass bylaws "respecting the protection or conservation of the environment" in accordance with the provincial codes. A later subsection even specifies that 35(1) gives municipalities power to require green roofs on buildings, but does not address other green standards. By not stating the specific role of municipalities in setting building codes, the Building Code Act creates a grey area that could be interpreted to align with Purcell's reading. But it could also support the government's interpretation. Section 8 states that a building official must issue a permit for a building that meets the requirements of the Building Code Act except in a few prescribed circumstances. The list of exceptions does not include a carve-out for buildings that fail to meet municipal requirements. Municipalities are also considered "creatures of the provinces," and have "no constitutional protection whatsoever against provincial laws that change their structures, functions, and financial resources without their consent," writes the Centre for Excellence on the Canadian Federation. The wider concern is that Bill 17 will amount to a dramatic shift in authority for cities, and not just to manage their building regulations and address climate change. Purcell warns that Bill 17 would "be the beginning of the end of urban planning in Ontario" by instigating legal challenges to existing bylaws across the province, beyond the green building standards. "It could create a wild west type of development environment, where anything can be built anywhere and consultants working for developers approve their own submissions." Source: The Energy Mix
Global News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Municipal climate plans under threat by new Ontario housing bill, critics say
A major piece of Toronto's climate plan appears to be in the Ontario government's crosshairs, critics warn, as the province advances a bill that could strip municipalities of their power to set green building standards. More than a dozen Ontario municipalities have followed Toronto's lead by pushing developers to design more energy efficient buildings with lower greenhouse-gas emissions, beyond what's required by the provincial building code's minimum standards. Now Premier Doug Ford's government, with backing from some developers, may be ready to turf those municipal green standards as part of its stated effort to fast-track home construction. A spokesperson for Ontario's housing minister says changes under Bill 17, introduced this month, would 'clarify' that municipalities don't have the authority to 'require their own unique standards that supersedes the Ontario building code.' 'This will help standardize construction requirements and provide consistency, setting the same set of rules for everyone in Ontario, leading to faster approvals and reduced costs,' wrote Alexandra Sanita, press secretary for Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack. Story continues below advertisement Climate advocate Keith Brooks says the move appears to target municipal green standards. It could saddle home and building owners with higher heating and cooling costs, expand Ontario's reliance on natural gas and put cities at greater flood risk, he said. 'It's not only that they're abdicating their responsibility to address climate change, but they are stopping other levels of government from doing what they can to fight climate change as well,' said Brooks, a programs director with Environmental Defence, an environmental advocacy group. Buildings account for more than half of Toronto's greenhouse-gas output, in large part from natural gas heating. The 15-year-old green standard has been touted by the city as a way to make it more resilient to climate change and cut back on emissions. The standard requires developers, for example, to ensure their new builds can retain a certain amount of stormwater to prevent flooding during extreme rainfall and have enough tree canopy to help stave off extreme heat. It also requires buildings to meet annual emissions targets, pushing developers to consider low-carbon heating options such as heat pumps over natural gas. New residential parking units must also be fitted for electric-vehicle charging under the standard, a requirement Ford's government scrapped from the provincial building code shortly after it came to power. Yet, the municipal standards have drawn the ire of some developer industry associations who suggest it's adding to costs during a housing crisis. The Residential Construction Council of Ontario sued Toronto over the standards last year in a case still before the courts. Story continues below advertisement The group's president welcomed the bill as signalling the end of municipal green standards in Ontario. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'To my mind, that's the intent of it,' said Richard Lyall, president of RESCON. He said the standards were a 'knee-jerk reaction to climate activism' and muddied the approvals process for developers who build across municipalities with different standards. 'This really doesn't make any sense, and the cost is exorbitant, and the market is already unable to bear those costs,' Lyall said. 'There's a duplication, too. If one level of government is responsible for the building code and things green, then do you really need other levels of government jumping in and saying, well, we're going to do this, too?' But advocates argue cities must be provided leeway to require design standards beyond the minimum requirements set out in the provincial building code. Ontario's auditor general found in 2020 that the provincial government had turned down proposed changes to the building code that could have improved energy efficiency by 20 per cent. Bryan Purcell, who helped design Toronto's green standard, also says the pace of the city's housing construction suggests the standard has not hampered it. More broadly, there's nothing to suggest cities in Ontario with a green standard are slower to develop than those without, he said. Story continues below advertisement The broad wording of the bill has left municipalities scrambling to figure out its possible impacts, Purcell said. 'That's one of the reasons cities are really scratching their heads,' said Purcell, vice-president of policy and programs at The Atmospheric Fund, a non-profit climate agency whose board of directors is appointed by Toronto city councillors. 'Does it suddenly mean bylaws around construction noise, vibration, dust control, are suddenly in question?' In Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow directed staff to study the bill and report back to a meeting of the executive committee next month. 'We are currently evaluating the proposed changes to building standards, including impacts to the Toronto Green Standard, and are seeking further details from the province on these changes,' she said in a statement. More than a dozen other Ontario municipalities have used Toronto as a model to come up with their own green standards. While Toronto, Halton Hills and Whitby are among those with mandatory standards, most are voluntary. Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy said homes built to the city's green standard helped to drive down heating and hydro costs for homeowners without slowing down development approvals. 'We declared a climate emergency. And if we can do better, let's move to do better,' she said. Story continues below advertisement A spokesperson for Halton Hills said the town's preliminary review suggests elements of its green standard would be impacted by the bill. Without a policy to drive developers to low-carbon heating options, natural gas providers could end up benefiting from the bill, climate advocates say. Because gas connections costs are covered by ratepayers over decades and not up front, developers have an incentive to choose gas over heat pumps, even if it can end up costing homeowners more in the long run and emit more carbon. Vancouver and Montreal are among the North American cities moving to ban gas for heating and water in new builds. It would not be the first time the Ford government has intervened to the benefit of natural gas providers in Ontario. Last year, the government overruled Ontario's energy regulator on a decision that would have prevented Enbridge from passing off the cost of connecting new homes to ratepayers. The Ontario Energy Board had ruled developers must shoulder the costs instead. Enbridge's long-term plan had failed to consider the risks of the transition away from fossil fuels, the ruling said. The transition could cause Enbridge to eventually hike rates for its remaining customers, which in turn could cause more people to leave, setting off a self-reinforcing series of escalating price hikes or 'utility death spiral,' the ruling said. Story continues below advertisement The government said it needed to be overturned because it would drive up housing costs. But Purcell said the government's decision reflects a 'misunderstanding of how to ensure energy affordability.' 'It's about five times more expensive to retrofit these homes and buildings later to get them off of fossil fuels or minimize their fossil-fuel use than it is to design them that way from the get-go,' he said. 'We want efficient buildings. We want clean energy. We want healthy buildings. And all these things go together, especially when you build them in from an early design stage.' Purcell hasn't ruled out the possibility the government could change course. It happened in 2023 when Ontario walked back parts of a previous housing bill that critics said could undermine municipal green standards. In a letter to municipalities at the time, the former housing minister said it was not the government's intention and it 'recognized the important work being done by municipalities through green standards to encourage green-friendly development and is committed to supporting these efforts.' Steve Clark resigned later that year due to controversy over the government's now-reversed decision to open up parts of the protected Greenbelt for development.
