Waterloo region responsible for creating 70,000 new homes under new proposed provincial rules

The tri-cities will be on the hook for the creation of 70,000 new homes by 2031 under sweeping new housing legislation announced Tuesday by the Ontario government.

The targets are part of a package of changes that will override municipal zoning laws in some situations and allow for the construction of up to three units on each residential lot.

Speaking at an event in Toronto Tuesday, Ford said the third installment of his government’s housing action plan will include “new solutions” that will allow the next generation of Ontarians to own a home.

“There’s no time to waste,” he said. “Previous governments saw the problem coming, but they totally ignored it.”

“You need to have a backbone to go out there and make those tough decisions. Our government will never ignore the many Ontario families who want a place to call home.”

The government tabled a bill Tuesday – called the More Homes, Built Faster Act – including a number of legislative changes and proposals they say will help “build housing faster and bring costs down,” allowing the Progressive Conservatives to meet their goal of building 1.5 million homes in 10 years.

As part of the plan, the PCs will be overriding municipal zoning laws to allow up to three units, such as basement apartment and garden homes, to be built on a single lot.

The government has assigned targets to 29 large municipalities based on population size and growth.

Kitchener will be responsible for the creation of 35,000 new homes, while Waterloo is on the hook for 16,000. Cambridge has been assigned a target of 19,000. Guelph has a goal of 18,000 and Brantford is responsible for 10,000 new homes.

Each city will have to develop “pledges” outlining how they will meet the targets. Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clarke would not expand on what would happen if municipalities do not meet their housing goals, saying only that he hopes municipalities will be up to the challenge.

"We'll work collaboratively with those largest communities that we've initiated a housing pledge," he said, adding that housing was a major issue throughout the municipal elections across the province.

As it stands, there is no additional financial investments announced Tuesday to help these municipalities make their goals or to make up the difference lost by the reduction of development charges and fees.

The housing legislation would go into effect by the summer of 2023 if it passes, the government says.