Oakville's Planning and Development council voted on a motion at their meeting yesterday, Jan. 22, 2024, with four amendments regarding a $36 million federal housing fund application. The vote took place only two days ahead of the deadline.
The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), a $4 billion (total) program was created to, as the government’s website states, "Encourage initiatives that increase housing supply and promote the development of affordable, inclusive and diverse communities that are low-carbon and climate-resilient."
The program is over-seen by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
Oakville is regarded as a leader in housing development already. According to Mayor Rob Burton, who re-iterates the claim often, Oakville is on track to fulfill - if not exceed - provincial targets of 33,000 units in future housing development to accommodate population growth over the next ten years.
Staff reported earlier that the application was submitted to the federal government on June 14, 2023 (the last day to apply) and that results of the application would be forthcoming, possibly this fall.
Despite numerous consultations with CMHC, the town’s original HAF application was not accepted and numerous changes were requested. On July 28, 2023 and August 21, 2023, respectively, town staff submitted a revised HAF application.
On Oct. 25, Mayor Burton received a letter from Federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Sean Fraser, saying, "there are a few additional measures I request that you consider in order to strengthen Oakville's application."
At a Nov. 28 council meeting to discuss the upcoming 2024 budget, Oakville North—Burlington MP Pam Damoff made an unprecedented delegation urging council to act with urgency and consider the suggestions as outlined by Minister Fraser’s letter.
The Mayor wrote back to Minister Fraser on Dec. 21 that matters were in hand and would be dealt with at an upcoming council meeting.
A subsequent letter was received from Minister Fraser on January 11, 2024 requesting the town to adopt a by-law to "allow for four dwelling units on a single lot on an as-of-right basis" and "allowing four storeys and four or more units as-of-right within an 800 metre radius of Sheridan College."
The letter also gave Oakville a deadline of Jan. 24, 2024 - or, tomorrow.
Read more here: With millions up for grabs in federal funding, Burton promises housing review
Of note, so far $1.6 billion has already been approved for other municipal housing plans:
- Burlington received $21 million on Jan. 15 of this year to build 600 units
- Kitchener was approved for $42 million for 1,200 units
- London, the first city in Canada to receive approval on Sept. 13, 2023, got $74 million for 2,000 units
So what happened at last night's meeting?
Various councillors asked staff for clarification on several points such as the lack of public engagement on the issue, the need for affordable, quality housing units within an 800 metre radius around Sheridan College, clarification on whether or not council had previously indeed approved the town’s Housing Action Plan or simply voted to receive the report.
However, debate at the meeting focused on one main sticking point – the insistence by the federal government to have municipalities permit four units as-of-right throughout the entire town.
Read more here: Should your neighbour be allowed to build fourplexes in town?
As-of-right is a blanket zoning designation that removes the exclusionary zoning that generally prevents single-family house neighbourhoods from installing multiplexes, basement apartments, granny flats, laneway houses or other modifications to buildings that increase individual residences on a property.
The provincial government’s Bill 23 in 2022 changed zoning across the province to allow the creation of up to three units "as-of-right" on most residential lots that are zoned for a single home without a municipal by-law amendment.
Several councillors saw little difference between 3 or 4 units on one residential lot.
Mayor Burton quipped that he asked his wife, a professor in the geography department at Toronto Metropolitan University, what the difference was between 3 and 4 as-of-right units. He said that her answer was: "36 million dollars."
When questioned about the number of existing plans the town has on its books to construct a 3-unit retrofit, Director of Planning for Oakville, Gabe Charles answered, "Zero."
After a five hour-long session at the Planning and Development Council meeting, a vote was taken on the motion by the Mayor in support of the Housing Accelerator Fund Application, as advised by Minister Fraser including four amendments. It passed.
However, four councillors (Duddeck, Chisholm, Elgar and Nanda) voted against the amendment accepting the four units per property as-of-right zoning change.