Proposed provincial housing rules welcomed by some in Waterloo region

The provincial government laid out a proposal Tuesday aimed at getting more homes built around Ontario and some people in Waterloo region are welcoming the potential change.

Kelly Wagner bought a Kitchener property on Dec. 31, 2021. Her plan is to split the lot in two and build a duplex on each piece from the ground up.

"With the intention for my son to buy one of the duplexes to have an income suite," said Wagner.

But the lengthy permit process for new builds means no building has actually happened.

Kelly Wagner bought a Kitchener property in 2021. (CTV News/Spencer Turcotte)

"And here we are, almost at the end of October and I still don't have the demolition permit yet," Wagner explained.

With every month that goes by, the costs keep piling up. Wagner said her son and girlfriend had to walk away from the deal because the costs became too much.

The Wagners are not alone. With Ontario facing a significant housing shortage, the province's plan to build more homes faster could come into effect as soon as summer 2023 and would see municipal zoning laws overridden in some situations. For example, the province would allow for three units on each residential lot and those units would be exempt from development charges. Kitchener council passed a similar bylaw in 2021.

"In terms of the three units per lot, Kitchener is ahead of the curve and has been a leader in this," said Garett Stevenson, interim planning director for the City of Kitchener.

But that rule doesn't apply to new builds like Wagner's.

"Unfortunately, once you sever the lots, the frontages will not meet the criteria of putting a third dwelling on, so these new rules will change that obviously," explained Lee Quaile, the president of Distinct Homes Ltd.

Quaile built a pair of duplexes just down the road from the same property Wagner bought. He said for other municipalities in Waterloo region, where a third dwelling is currently not allowed, the provincial plan could be a game changer.

Lee Quaile built a pair of duplexes just down the road from the same property Wagner bought. (CTV News/Spencer Turcotte)

"If you're a homeowner, or you own a rental dwelling already and you have the ability to add a third unit at the back – that's also a huge plus. So it's not only directed toward developers and builders. It's for the community as a whole," Quaile said.

So even though Wagner has been playing the waiting game, she's hopeful of the possible changes on the horizon that will make it quicker to get more homes built for more people.