Ontario mayors speak out against proposal to give more power over housing to province

Ontario mayors are raising concerns about a new report from a Ford government task force that recommends taking some control over housing policy away from municipalities and giving it to the province. 

Among other things, the report from the Housing Affordability Task Force, released early Tuesday morning, is calling for "binding provincial action" to allow buildings up to four storeys tall, and up to four units, on a residential lot. It's also calling for less public consultation.

Toronto Mayor John Tory told reporters Tuesday he's had "extensive discussions" with Premier Doug Ford and Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark.

"I have emphasized to them that it is local officials ... who know best, not the provincial government," Tory said. 

The task force recommendations aim to have 1.5 million homes built in the next 10 years across Ontario at a time when an estimated 70 per cent of land zoned for housing in Toronto is restricted to single-detached or semi-detached homes. That's as the cost of buying a home has nearly tripled in the area over the past 10 years.

"I am truly disappointed in the housing task force report," said Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas in a statement. 

"Apparently, the solution to the housing affordability crisis is to limit public input and allow developers to build whatever they want, wherever they want. Profit driven public planning won't solve the affordability crisis in our communities."

The report specifies that affordable housing was not part of the task force's mandate and that cabinet would deal with that issue separately.

A statement released Tuesday by the organization Ontario Big City Mayors, of which Tory is a member, also expressed concerns.

"Unilateral actions, absent municipal input, may have unintended consequences that slow down development and reduce the community support needed to continue to sustainably add housing," the statement reads.

"While overcoming NIMBYism is essential to success, so is respect for local decision-making and the democratic process."  

The acronym NIMBY stands for "Not In My Back Yard" and describes a belief among some homeowners in single-family neighbourhoods that building denser communities and more affordable housing is great in theory, but not close to where they live.

The task force report raises concerns with NIMBYism, which it says some have now re-termed BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything).

"My neighbour can tear down what was there to build a monster home, but I'm not allowed to add a basement suite to my home," the report quotes one homeowner as saying.