The Ontario government introduced new housing legislation on April 6 that it says aims to support renters, strengthen homebuyer protections, reduce the cost of building new homes, and streamline rules around land use planning.
“Our goal remains the one that I committed to last summer, which is to get 1.5 million homes built by 2031,” Housing Minister Steve Clark said at a press conference on the afternoon of April 6. “That’s why we understand that it will take time for the impact of the changes we have made to date to be fully felt.”
Clark said that in 2022, housing starts in Ontario surpassed 96,000—the second highest number since 1988—while purpose-built rental construction reached a record at 15,000 starts. But he said “progress and more action” are required for the province to meet its housing goals, especially given increased inflation, economic uncertainty, and higher interest rates….