Should Oakville allow four-unit buildings in residential neighbourhoods, in exchange for up to $36 million?
That's the question that town councillors will debate this coming Monday night.
The federal government is demanding Oakville council allow four housing units “as of right” town-wide, if it wants access to housing grants.
That would let homeowners add units like basement or laneway suites, or build triplexes or fourplexes on all lots, without requiring any special rezoning permissions.
The town is also being asked to allow buildings of up to four storeys on residential lots within 800 metres of Sheridan College.
Federal housing minister Sean Fraser has insisted on the changes if Oakville wants cash from the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), a $4 billion federal program aiming to speed up the building of new homes across the country.
The town has applied for about $36 million in funding, which would support about 1,200 new residential housing units identified as part of a new housing strategy and action plan.
The feds have been rapidly doling out cash, handing nearly $600 million in housing grants to Toronto and Mississauga.
Burlington was given $21 million earlier this week to support the creation of 600 housing units.
But in exchange for federal funds, municipalities have been urged to eliminate “exclusionary zoning” that limits certain neighbourhoods to single family homes.
Those rules are at the heart of the Livable Oakville plan, which aims to protect the town’s "stable residential neighbourhoods" by sending density to designated growth areas.
Three units already permitted
That plan, which Mayor Rob Burton has championed throughout his political career, has been under attack recently.
Last year, the provincial government’s Bill 23 forced the town to allow up to three housing units on every residential property.
That means a homeowner can now add a basement apartment and a laneway suite or rebuild a home as a triplex.
But so far, the new rule changes have had limited impact on increasing the town’s housing stock.
According to a report from town staff, only 118 homeowners were issued permits to add a second housing unit to their property in 2022. Another 169 permits were issued last year.
No permits have yet been issued for a third dwelling unit since that option was allowed.
Information on how to participate in Monday’s meeting can be found online here.