Latest news with #ProtectOntariobyBuildingFasterandSmarterAct
Hamilton Spectator
3 days 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
4 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
4 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.
Hamilton Spectator
20-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Will Hamilton's green building standards die on the vine with new Ontario legislation?
Hamilton is examining how newly introduced provincial legislation meant to expedite residential construction in Ontario will affect the city's ability to move ahead with green building standards. This past fall, council adopted a series of carbon-cutting guidelines — some mandatory and others optional — covering a range of considerations, from building-energy efficiency to water conservation and bird-friendly windows. But city politicians recently delayed implementation of the standards in response to development industry concerns they could add to construction costs during a severe market downturn. City staff, tasked to report back with a cost analysis, must now also weigh the potential impact of Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act . 'The devil's in the details,' Steve Robichaud, acting general manager of planning and economic development, told The Spectator, noting regulations flowing from the proposed legislation must be examined. But the legislation appears to take aim at mandatory guidelines that deal with building construction while steering clear of other elements, including voluntary measures. Overall, Bill 17 aims to limit studies municipalities require for projects, expedite some minor variances and standardize fees that cities charge to pay for infrastructure like water lines, pumping stations, roads and recreation centres. Overall, Bill 17 aims to limit studies municipalities require for projects, expedite some minor variances and standardize fees that cities charge to pay for infrastructure like water lines, pumping stations, roads and recreation centres. It would also allow municipalities to more nimbly offer breaks on development charges and enable builders to hold off on paying them until projects are occupied, rather than when permits are issued. The Progressive Conservatives introduced the suite of proposed measures this week after falling behind annual targets to have 1.5 million homes built in Ontario by 2031. 'To be frank, it takes too long and it costs too much to build houses in Ontario,' Rob Flack, municipal affairs and housing minister, said during a recent news conference about Bill 17. Particular to green building standards, the legislation would 'clarify' that municipalities 'do not have the authority to require their own unique standards beyond' the Ontario Building Code, a technical briefing notes. That provision is to help 'provide consistency, reduce costs and increase uniformity of technical standards for builders.' While mandatory green building standards that relate to construction appear off the table under Bill 17, Robichaud suggested other elements such as stormwater management, landscaping and whether projects are in walkable locations, wouldn't be affected. What's not clear is whether the city could require certain standards as conditions for site-plan or subdivision approvals, if the legislation bars bylaws imposing such requirements, he noted. And if some standards can no longer be mandatory, they could become 'voluntary through an incentive program' that encourages builders to meet them. Meanwhile, Bill 17 has won praise from some municipal leaders alongside the development industry amid a significant market slowdown aggravated by U.S. tariffs. 'Across Canada, our provincial and national governments are focused on harmonization to break down trade and supply chain barriers,' Mike Collins-Williams , CEO of the local West End Home Builders' Association, said via email. Bill 17 'shows strong provincial leadership to reduce the number of municipal planning studies and to standardize building and planning regulations for one Ontario Building Code,' he wrote. 'Standardized approaches across all municipalities will help us get shovels in the ground to protect jobs and build desperately needed housing.' But environmental groups warm the proposed legislation could in fact lead to higher energy costs for Ontario residents down the road. 'Municipal 'green' standards do not duplicate or conflict with the Ontario Building Code; they complement it and consolidate municipal design priorities into a single streamlined document,' Bryan Purcell, vice-president of policy and programs with the Atmospheric Fund, wrote in a statement. 'Municipalities have a legislated responsibility to protect public health and environmental well-being. 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.' The proposed Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act is subject to public feedback through the Environmental Registry of Ontario until June 11.
Toronto Star
16-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
With Ontario's housing starts sliding, Doug Ford insists, ‘We're doing everything we can'
Premier Doug Ford is defending his housing record despite statistics showing the rate of building new homes is half what's needed to meet his target of 1.5 million by 2031. 'We're doing everything we can,' he told reporters Friday in Wasaga Beach, a day after his government's spring budget showed housing starts are expected to drop to 71,800 this year — down from 74,600 in 2024. Ontario Budget Doug Ford's government vows to 'protect Ontario' from Donald Trump's tariffs with record $232.5B budget With the economy battered by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and unemployment rising, The province needs an average of 150,000 housing starts a year to meet the goal, and forecasts for the next three years fall short of that, topping out at an expected 85,900 in 2028. The supply shortage has sent home prices soaring and put housing out of reach for many people. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'We're cutting red tape and regulations,' said Ford, who was in Wasaga Beach to announce a $38 million investment to revitalize the Georgian Bay town as a tourist destination. 'If you won't support and create the environment and the conditions for companies to build, they just won't build.' Earlier this week, his government proposed legislation to fast-track housing, transit and road construction in an admission the Progressive Conservatives are losing ground and running short on time to keep their housing promise. Provincial Politics Ontario seeks to speed up construction of housing, roads, transit with new bill giving it more control over municipal processes The Ford government bill will expand controversial minister zoning orders and standardize The bill from Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack would standardize development fees, stop municipalities from ordering further studies in relation to new developments and imposing construction requirements beyond the provincial building code, and expand the use of controversial minister's zoning orders. Flack blamed rapid population growth for the shortage and maintained 'it takes too long and costs too much to build homes in Ontario.' In the wake of Thursday's $232.5 billion budget — with a whopping $14.6 billion deficit — from Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, opposition parties said Ford, first elected in 2018, has failed on housing. New Democrat Leader Marit Stiles, who has proposed creating a provincial agency to build affordable housing, said the government's strategy 'doubles down' on previous approaches to the problem that have not worked. ' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'I would say they've thrown in the towel,' Stiles said. 'For the young people who want affordable housing ... Doug Ford has failed,' said Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie. Flack said the new rules in the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act were written with input from municipalities and development charges will be paid when a new home is occupied instead of upfront during the permitting process. The Ontario Home Builders' Association said the legislation helps by tackling two 'significant drivers' of high housing costs — development charges and delays in getting approvals and permits. 'Builders across Ontario have long advocated for action on these barriers,' the association said in a statement. The $8.28 billion Greenbelt land swap scandal, under investigation by the RCMP, is the result of the government trying to free up land for new homes. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. 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. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
