Ontario tables legislation to reverse urban boundary expansions

Ontario’s Housing Minister has tabled legislation to reverse the provincial government’s decision to alter urban and regional land boundaries.

Minister Paul Calandra says the decision stems from the over-involvement of his predecessor in the expansions first introduced late last year.

In the original decision, Ontario changed the official plans for Barrie, Belleville, Guelph, Hamilton, Ottawa and Peterborough and the municipalities of Halton, Niagara, Peel, Waterloo and York, and Wellington County.

These expansions served as part of the government’s sweeping changes that removed lands protected by the Greenbelt for its goal of building 1.5 million homes over 10 years.

Reviews from two legislative watchdogs found that the process to select which lands would be removed was flawed and ultimately favoured certain developers.

READ MORE: Ford says he didn’t direct inclusion of land in urban boundary expansions

In the wake of province-wide outcry, Premier Doug Ford announced that he would be reversing the course set out for the Greenbelt, a move that was followed by the resignation by the former housing minister Steve Clark and another cabinet minister.

The RCMP have now launched a criminal investigation into the Greenbelt decision.

Last month, Calandra announced that the government would no longer expand land boundaries to accommodate more housing.

Many regions, including the Town of Grimsby, spoke out on what they called unnecessary changes and the costs faced by local governments amidst the back-and-forth changes.

WATCH MORE: Ontario government reverses planned urban boundary expansions

The housing minister now says that the province will be shifting its focus on increasing density, especially in areas near transit corridors and stations.

This newly tabled bill will still allow for construction that has already begun in previously expanded areas to continue.

“Since announcing this wind back, I’ve heard from many mayors and heads of council who agree that we need to be more ambitious,” Calandra wrote in a statement.

“I look forward to receiving feedback from our municipal partners about changes to the original official plans and amendments.”

This report was created with files from The Canadian Press