Ontario's Housing Affordability Task Force Urges Major Reforms To Approvals Process For Residential Development

On February 8, 2022, the Housing Affordability Task Force reported to the Government of Ontario on the state of the housing market in Ontario. Its 33-page Report makes 55 recommendations intended to remove impediments to the construction of 1.5 million much-needed new homes in Ontario over the next decade. An Appendix to the Report considers the existing inclusionary zoning framework and makes further recommendations with respect to inclusionary zoning specifically.

Principal Recommendations

The Task Force cites a Scotiabank study showing that Canada has the fewest housing units per capita of any G7 country. In fact, to reach even the G7 average, Ontario alone would immediately require 1.2 million new units. Furthermore, in addition to its social impact, the housing shortage negatively affects the economy: as the Report notes, Toronto's two-way commute time, the longest in North America at 96 minutes, makes it difficult for many businesses to attract new