Environmentalists are raising concerns about a component of the province’s signature new housing legislation that removes the municipality's ability to require green building standards in new development.
“There are a number of municipalities across Ontario, including Newmarket, that have incorporated green building standards into their bylaws, and those will be stripped from municipalities,” said Passive House Canada CEO Chris Ballard about Bill 23.
“Municipalities have been using building standards to improve the energy efficiency of new buildings … they will lose the ability to do that if this bill is successful. That is a travesty,” added the former Newmarket-Aurora MPP and former housing and environment minister who now advocates for high energy-efficiency housing as head of the non-profit.
Notably, Newmarket negotiated for high environmental standards for the Shining Hill development, which local environmental group Newmarket-Aurora Drawdown pushed for.
The More Homes Built Faster Act proposes a series of policy changes to speed up the building process that has been welcomed by many in the building sector.
"These sorts of things could still be negotiated," local Drawdown member Dave Kempton said. "But having that kind of (policy) structure behind it all, it's got to help."
Newmarket resident Fran Bazos said she has found reward in making her home more energy friendly.
The Newmarket-Aurora Drawdown co-founder installed solar panels as a way to save on energy. She said she gets hundreds back in rebates off her energy bill and it has more than paid off.
That experience has made her question the Bill 23 clause removing a municipality’s ability to consider sustainable design as part of site plan approval.
“I wonder if people are really aware of how much you can save,” Bazos said. “It’s a little shocking that people aren’t taking that into consideration. When they’re purchasing a home, it’s the government’s job to inform people about the options that they have.”
Several other organizations have also spoken up to raise concerns about the environmental aspects of the bill, which would also freeze fees levied by conservation authorities and change their regulations.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario said moving away from environmental protections is concerning "at a time when climate change impacts are being felt more at the local level."
But building organizations have welcomed the bill as needed to speed up construction, including the Vaughan-based Residential Construction Council of Ontario. It said that it is critical to “tear down barriers and boost the supply of housing.”
“We must pull out all the stops to speed up residential construction because our population is growing, and lack of housing is a critical issue. The residential construction sector is ready to do its part," RESCON president Richard Lyall said in a news release.
But Ballard said you can build homes to high environmental standards without it costing much, given the long-term energy savings associated with the home.
He added that if there is enough opposition, the government will budge on some of these issues.
“More than just energy efficiency, we need a building standard, and Bill 23 goes in the wrong direction."
