GTA region warns Bill 23 may hike property taxes
Durham is the latest region to warn residents that property taxes may go up because of Ontario’s housing Bill 23.
“We estimate the Region will have about $281 million less in revenue over five years,” said Durham Regional Council Chair and CEO John Henry.
“This means that existing property taxpayers and ratepayers of Durham Region—as with most other municipalities in Ontario—will now be asked to fund future infrastructure to support new homes in our community,” he added in a statement.
“Or, as an alternative, the Region may have to reduce service levels.”
The More Homes Built Faster Act aims to build 1.5 million homes in Ontario over the next 10 years. Freezing development charges and government fees on some new builds are among the provisions included.
Mayors from big cities like Toronto to rural towns have opposed the freeze, saying municipalities rely on the revenue to build the needed infrastructure to accommodate growth.
Henry says there has been an immediate impact in Durham: money collected from development charges is dropped by 20 per cent already, he says.
This means the region, and the municipalities that make up Durham, will have tough choices on their hands, and property taxes may need to rise to make up the shortfall.
Another thorny issue with the bill is the development on Greenbelt land, including 4,500 acres from three areas around Durham.
“More land is not needed, in Durham Region, to meet the provincial housing target,” Henry said. “There is an eight to 10-year supply of housing already planned in our region.”
Opponents have been vocal since the bill was first unveiled in the fall.
Helen Brenner with Stop Sprawl Durham says developing areas of the Greenbelt—which is made up in part of farmland, forests, and conservation areas—is both fiscally and environmentally unethical, as well as unnecessarily adding to the suburban sprawl.
“We know that it’s not sustainable,” she told CTV News Toronto. “It’s not required—better to live within our existing urban boundaries.”
The Ontario government maintains the course the province is on is the right one.
“Ontario is in a housing supply crisis, and Ontarians expect us to act,” Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark said on Monday.
The Premier says Bill 23 will address the housing shortage, and decisions had to be made.
"You can't keep saying 'not in my backyard, my neighbourhood doesn't want it, we don't want it,’” he said inside the Sheraton Hotel earlier this week, as protesters demonstrated outside.
“Where are we going to put these people?”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.