Whereas the Province of Ontario has committed to supporting municipalities in achieving their housing targets, while promoting financial sustainability;
and
Whereas the Province of Ontario has committed to ensuring municipalities are “kept whole” for any impact to their ability to fund housing enabling infrastructure because of Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022; and
Whereas a third-party review showed the financial impact resulting from the changes outlined in Bill 23 on the Development Charges and Community Benefit Charges to be $36.6 million and $336 million on parkland for the City of Burlington; and
Whereas assessment growth alone from new homes will not cover the loss in development charge and parkland revenue; and
Whereas development in built up areas with some existing infrastructure will also not account for all the costs of new growth, including the need for new parks, transit, community amenities and more community infrastructure that will be required on top of roads, water, and wastewater, to make new communities complete and liveable.
Therefore, be it resolved that; Burlington City Council calls on the Province of Ontario to fund the third-party audit program as soon as possible in order validate and provide provincial funding to address the City Burlington’s growth-related revenue shortfalls created by recent legislation changes; and
Further that a copy of this motion be sent to the Premier of Ontario; the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark; the Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy; Minister of Red Tape Reduction, Parm Gill; Natalie Pierre, MPP Burlington; and Effie Triantafilopoulos, MPP Oakville North-Burlington; Halton Region; the Association of Municipalities of Ontario; and the Ontario’s Big City Mayors.