London’s housing crisis demands 47,000 new homes — 40 per cent are approved but still unbuilt
An aggressive plan to address London, Ont.’s housing crisis has been unveiled by city hall, but meeting the construction targets will require doing things differently.
The provincial government’s Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, set a goal to add 1.5 million residential units in Ontario by 2031.
London’s assigned share is 47,000 residential units.
Mayor Josh Morgan told CTV News London that the provincially assigned housing target is reasonable, “We will still be building and growing the city in the way that Londoners have asked us to build and grow this city.”
A new report going to council’s Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee outlines a plan called London’s Housing Supply Action Plan.
“This whole process is about shared accountability,” explained Morgan. “The province has changes that it has to make, the municipality has processes it needs to speed up, and permissions it needs to give, but the development community at the end of the day are actually responsible for building the houses.”
London, Ont.'s Housing Supply Action Plan. (Source: City of London)In the near-term, 40 per cent of the housing target await shovels in the ground.
The report identifies 18,513 residential units that are yet to be built by developers despite, “having advanced through or are in the latter stages of planning act processes and are available for development over the short-term.”
“Part of this this process is digging into those barriers. What is stopping those from coming to fruition? How are we going to ensure that we have that head start on our target?” Morgan asked rhetorically.
Since “greenfield developments” can take a decade or more from application to build-out, the report recommended focusing on, “lands where the substantial cost of servicing has already been invested should be prioritized for development.”
The London Plan includes a 45 per cent intensification target regarding new development and identifies the downtown, transit villages, and rapid transit corridors as areas that can support significant intensification.
Londoners have had little time to consider the strategy that will guide residential growth for almost a decade.
Although the committee’s agenda was posted to the city website on Feb. 1, the Housing Supply Action Plan wasn’t posted until Feb. 6.
The committee meeting will be held just a day later, on Feb. 7 at 4 p.m.
The London Development Institute, a lobbying organization representing most of the area’s largest developers, has already requested delegation status to speak at the meeting.
London, Ont.'s Housing Supply Action Plan. (Source: City of London)The mayor said it was the provincial direction on Oct. 25 that set a March 1 deadline to complete a municipal housing pledge, “It’s unfortunate that we can’t have more lead time on this, but some of these things are beyond our control, because the directions are set by the province.”
Morgan said Londoners unable to meet the tight deadline can still contact their councillor before next week’s council meeting finalizes Tuesday’s decision.
The three pillars in London’s Housing Supply Action Plan are:
- Financial supports
- Enterprise-wide resources
- Shared accountability
Within those pillars, nine actions will be taken:
- Developing areas primed for residential development
- Promoting gentle intensification in neighborhoods
- Facilitating intensification in priority areas and across the city
- Improving application processes
- Growth management
- Development charges and servicing
- Using community improvement plans to incentivize affordable housing development
- Reusing vacant commercial and office spaces in the core area
- Municipal affordable housing development
London’s housing plan and pledge must be sent to Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing by March.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.