Corporate Report - City Council - Report from: Report Date: Meeting Date:

Following review of the proposed legislation, staff are concerned that the direction of some of the proposed amendments do not serve the goal of increasing housing supply but will result in the loss of environmental protections, heritage conservation, urban design and accountability to the public. [...] There are also anticipated serious financial implications for the City as a result of responsibilities being downloaded from the Region, the need for amendments to existing policies and programs that were not in the workplan, and loss of revenues to support growth, which will force Council choose to either reduce service levels or transfer the burden to the taxpayer. [...] The reduction of Conservation Authority involvement in reviewing development applications and elimination of responsibility for pollution and the conservation of land could be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of our community and is a regression in the City’s efforts to fight the effects of climate change. [...] However, the proposal as presented by the Province fails to address the goals of increasing housing supply, housing affordability, and improved process and instead will result in the loss of environmental protections, heritage conservation, urban design and accountability to the public, along with severe financial implications for the City and Region. [...] The Bill would remove the power of Regional governments to plan where new homes and workplaces go, and the densities at which they are built, to prevent the squandering of farmland and wildlife to habitat, and to ensure that new and existing communities can be serviced with public transit, water and other infrastructure.