Housing Accelerator update, week 8
Waterloo, Charlottetown, Winnipeg
Previously:
Federal plan: London, Calgary, GST on new rental housing
Housing Accelerator update, weeks 2-4: Halifax, Mississauga, Vaughan
Week 5: Hamilton, Metro Vancouver
Week 6: Quebec, Kitchener, Guelph, Burlington
Week 7: Ajax, Moncton, Brampton, Richmond Hill, Kelowna, Edmonton
Sean Fraser on legalizing housing
At the Brampton announcement, Sean Fraser talked about the need to “legalize housing” - on most land, it’s illegal to build multifamily housing. He released a short video explaining this:
Metro Vancouver
Bad news: The Metro Vancouver board voted to raise development cost charges (DCCs) as planned, starting in January 2025, instead of delaying by one year, in a split vote (82-58). Vancouver directors voted for the delay; Surrey, Burnaby, and Richmond voted against.
Previous post. “Growth pays for growth” basically means “younger people pay for infrastructure upgrades.” The Metro Van board just voted to shift the bill for water and sewer infrastructure upgrades away from existing property owners (who tend to be older and wealthier) to homebuyers and renters (who tend to be younger and poorer). It’s not just people buying new homes who are affected: this also raises the price of existing homes.
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo voted unanimously to direct staff to move forward with four storeys and four units everywhere. I think this is the first municipal government which is planning to allow four storeys everywhere.
Charlottetown, PEI
Sean Fraser had asked Charlottetown to allow four units city-wide by right, with greater density near UPEI and Holland College. Charlottetown city council voted to allow four units city-wide, four-storeys within 800 metres of UPEI and Holland College, and six storeys along corridors. Further public consultation will be required before final approval.
Direct link to vote - passed unanimously.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg is considering whether to allow four units by right city-wide and four storeys within 800 m of frequent transit corridors, as requested by Sean Fraser.
