Submission to the City of Toronto’s Planning and Housing Committee on Proposed Inclusionary Zoning By-law Amendments
Published on October 28, 2021
- Planning and Housing Committee consideration on October 28, 2021: Agenda Number: PH28.1 – Inclusionary Zoning Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Implementation Guidelines
While the proposed inclusionary zoning by-law amendments are “too low and too slow” across market areas in Toronto, they represent a start to this policy.
It is important that the proposed zoning by-law pass, but with some amendments. These amendments include:
- Ensuring that higher set-asides are required, and at a faster pace, for purpose-built rental housing as soon as the by-law goes into effect. The pace and scale of set-aside rates should be similar to that in condominium buildings and consistent with the approach proposed in the July 2021 draft by-law (see Table 2). Given the serious affordability challenges that renters face, it is important that we build this housing stock as quickly as we can. We should not be discouraged by ideas that the introduction of an inclusionary zoning requirement will discourage development—given the heated nature of the housing market, now is the time to ensure that affordable rentals are developed. Building housing supply, without being deliberate about what type of housing supply, will continue to exacerbate the challenges that renters face.
- Reviewing this policy on a periodic basis to ensure that Toronto has the most robust inclusionary zoning policy possible. This review should be grounded in a rights-based approach consistent with the right to safe, secure, and adequate housing recognized in the HousingTO 2020-30 Action Plan and the Toronto Housing Charter – Opportunity for All.