The Ontario government plans to hold a housing summit next month with big-city mayors and regional chairs.
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark said it would identify opportunities for the province to collaborate with municipalities to address the crisis in affordable housing.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, February 28, 2020. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens welcomed the news. In a statement, he said, "In Windsor-Essex, we've seen local prices skyrocket during the pandemic. The average price of a home is up over 34 per cent so far this year, and that's on top of a similar increase in 2020."
Ontario had over 81,000 housing starts in 2020, the highest level of housing starts in a decade. It also added almost 11,500 units of rental housing, the most since 1992. However, homeownership remains out of reach for many.
"It's no secret that Ontario has a housing crisis, as demand has drastically outpaced supply over the past decade," said Clark. "This housing summit gives us a chance to assess how the province and our municipal partners can build on our progress."
Dilkens already has some suggestions for the summit on December 16.
"Policies that encourage density, where appropriate, infill and brownfield redevelopments and urban renewal need to be considered hand-in-hand with reducing the regulatory burden on private developers," he said.
Clark is also planning a special session with rural municipal leaders in January.
In the fall economic statement, the government committed to creating a Housing Affordability Task Force to find ways to start construction faster, remove duplication and barriers for developers, and make housing more affordable.