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ARTICLE · 11 JUNE 2025

Rethinking Development Charges In Ontario, A Path To Affordable Housing

Miller Thomson
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Ontario's housing affordability crisis is intensifying, and one major factor contributing to rising costs is development charges ("DCs"). These fees, essential for financing growth-related infrastructure, are becoming...

CanadaReal Estate and Construction
Jesse White
Jesse White
Mario Concordia
Mario Concordia
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Ontario's housing affordability crisis is intensifying, and one major factor contributing to rising costs is development charges ("DCs"). These fees, essential for financing growth-related infrastructure, are becoming a growing burden for developers and homebuyers alike. Over the last decade, DCs have risen sharply, in some cases adding over $100,000 to the cost of a single-family home. As municipalities face mounting pressures to balance development needs with housing affordability, it's time to rethink how DCs are structured and explore alternative models that better align with the province's housing goals.

Rising DCs, an unsustainable trend

Across much of the Greater Toronto Area ("GTA"), DCs have more than doubled over the last decade. In Toronto, for instance, a recent study by Keleher Planning + Economic Consulting examining the state of DCs across Ontario (PDF) (the "Keleher Study") indicated that the DC rates per single-detached unit rose from

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