By Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Graydon Smith
In my travels across our riding, one of the most common concerns I hear from constituents, small businesses and community groups alike is about the lack of accessible and affordably priced homes. The issue has started to impact the livability, cohesion and health of our local communities and economies.
As we have seen in Parry Sound-Muskoka, growing demand coupled with severely constrained supply results in rising prices and a shortage of availability. Immediate and innovative solutions are required to rebalance the supply and demand dynamic in our housing sector. We must build more homes. That’s a fact that people across the riding know to be true.
Recently, the federal government announced it will boost immigration targets to 500,000 annual newcomers by 2025 – and many will settle in Ontario. Ontario is counting on these newcomers to support our labour force and grow the province – but we need to ensure there is enough housing to meet the growing demand.
That’s why our government is doubling down on our commitment to build 1.5-million homes in the next decade, including through the proposed More Homes Built Faster Act.
A report by the University of Ottawa’s Smart Prosperity Institute outlines estimated housing targets for 49 regions and although most of the demand is in the Greater Toronto Area, we will continue to see a rise in housing needs right here at home. The report’s target for Parry Sound is 3,200 new homes and 6,700 for Muskoka. That’s nearly 10,000 homes by 2031.
Simply put, that’s a lot.
We also must consider the type of housing that’s needed for residents and workers of all economic backgrounds. According to the Muskoka Community Foundation’s 2021 Vital Signs report, the average price of a non-waterfront home in Muskoka was over $630,000, but the median employment income sits at $33,600 (2021 census). Two of the major issues that came up when I was knocking on doors was either the inability for residents to afford a home, or the inability for businesses to retain labour because there just isn’t enough housing.
Both the Muskoka Housing Task Force and the Parry Sound Social Services Administration Board are trying to address this by focusing on the concept of attainable housing. Attainable housing consists of five pillars: adequate, appropriate, accessible, available and affordable. I am proud to say these groups are ahead of the game through the various support programs they already offer, like funding incentives for local developers and homeowners to build affordable homes and social housing. The More Homes Built Faster Act will give them additional support to further their attainable housing goals.
For example, the act would provide exemptions to certain developmental fees for affordable and inclusionary zoning units, select attainable housing units and non-profit housing developments like Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North. Residents and developers will also be allowed up to three units on a single residential lot without any amendments to municipal bylaws.
As the MPP for a riding that thrives on seasonal industries, such as tourism and construction, I know there’s a need for affordable rental units and more social housing as well. In Parry Sound, there are more than 400 residents waiting for social housing. In Muskoka, the waitlist is up to about 630 people.
Our government is hoping to work with the federal government on possible GST/HST incentives, including rebates, exemptions and deferrals, while also working with municipalities to explore reducing the current property tax burden on multi-residential apartment buildings.
This might all sound like doom and gloom, but I am proud to say there are many examples in which municipalities right across Parry Sound-Muskoka have been working tirelessly to solve the housing crisis already. This includes rent-geared to income housing on Ball’s Drive in Bracebridge or The Sound Community Hub in Parry Sound. With the help of our government, these municipalities will be able to take these steps further and faster.
I won’t tell you there’s one perfect solution. In fact, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark himself said that more work needs to be done to address the housing crisis. That’s why our government has promised an annual housing supply action plan for the next four years so that we continue to review and revamp our plan to meet the changing needs of our communities.
I’ll end by reiterating that housing is the foundation of society and the bedrock upon which a community can thrive. And, just as I did as mayor, I will continue to advocate for your right to build your foundation so you can thrive in the most beautiful place in Ontario.
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There are a plethora of adages that cover what has been done by Ontario voters. ‘You get what you deserve.’ ‘You had it coming.’ But did anyone really think this is what we would get. I don’t feel that a majority of the 83 people elected in that conservative win, expected that things would go this way, because we are not getting democratic process. The problem is, those conservatives elected would have to take up a collection to muster enough cojones to speak up. Lose a plum job. Sit alone in the back. Do not pass Go. Do not collect 150.000 dollars. Better to just shut up and nod.
The ‘strong mayor ‘ concept is the de facto erasure of millions of Ontarian voices. Councilors are elected to judge and vote for or against programs that come before them. But with this new title, certain mayors will have the power to reject the consensus of local council and dictate policy. That is dictatorship!
It seems more and more like Ford is creating a system similar to the one in Russia. Power resting in the hands of a few underlings, oligarchs, while he, Ford, holds the final say.
And how asinine is this plan (how could it be otherwise, when we know from whence it comes) to set aside acreage elsewhere to offset the loss of Greenbelt. Why not just build there? But it likely isn’t owned by the developers du jour. Or it could be land between Pickle Lake and Central Patricia, and therefore presents too great a commute.
He is here for a long time Ontario; until we get another chance to send him and his bobbleheads packing. The province will be forever changed.
I’d prefer a root canal over sharing space in Ontario with the man.
I’d settle for a Green MPP in the area though. ‘Twould give me hope.
As a Muskoka constituent, I am asking you, Graydon Smith, to rethink your stance on Bill 23.
It is my opinion that this Bill is detrimental to the environment and a blatant infringement on our democratic rights to appeal and oppose. Housing should never preempt protection of the environment, wildlife habitat, farmlands, greenbelts, rights of the people. You represent the people. This Muskoka citizen asks you to say no to Bill 23.
“There can be no greater priority for any government than to ensure that every human being has a roof over their head.” Hugh Mackenzie: Did you really think about that statement before you wrote it, or was it a spur of the moment thing?
It smacks of socialism. Where is the need for people to provide for themselves?
What standard or criteria are you using to put housing as need number one in my life? Is peoples’ health and the access to medical aid not a priority? The education of the young and not so young is of lesser import than housing? Jobs and fair pay for work done must rank up there, but is still apparently of lesser significance? The farmer and our food supply is of no importance?
One might freeze and starve with a roof over head, but you seem to feel the roof is still requirement #1?
I believe there are a goodly number of factors to rank as priorities for governments; there is certainly too many for this Ford government and his attendant ‘bobble-heads’ to manage.
Might it be that statement comes from the fact that Premier Ford is intent on ripping the province up to build houses? If one is to be a conservative, then you have to believe in Ford and that housing is most important.
I am a conservative, but I just don’t suffer from that ‘Ford’ affliction.
Frances, I totally agree with you on your position regarding Bill 23 but I would add the Strong Mayors Act as also egregious.
First Bill 23 is an abomination as it gives developers carte blanche going forward with no regard to long established policies that protect our shorelines here in Muskoka-Haliburton-Almaguin Highlands…add to that protecting the Green Belt…what a pitiful piece of legislation…and also add that to the Strong Mayors Act…I am really disappointed that Toronto Mayor John Tory embraced this legislation as I always thought him to be a fair legislator respecting decision of the majority in your council.
As for the leader of the Federal Conservative Party with his frequent emails suggesting that the CBC should be defunded….Pierre’s position is that private radio can provide the same service now provided by the CBC….I ask you…what calibre and quantity of weed has been smoking, if he truly believes that is possible…….
Private radio has gone under the same challenges as has local newspapers….a recent interview with the morning man on CFBK here in Huntsville revealed to me that he is the only person there for a 24 hour broadcast day….yes, he is an engaged and talented youngster but let’s ask him to provide a CBC nationwide broadcast that would engage the interest of Canadians in Yellowknife, Gander, and Brandon…..Don’t think it will happen as much as this man would try…
I mean, let’s be honest, Pierre’s position is a throwback to the early days of the Reform Party which for some reason feels conventional medial is left-wing bent…for myself, I don’t buy into that as an experienced broadcaster.
Going forward, as much as it pains me to say this…(being mostly a Tory for most on my adult life) I will really have to think of where my support and financial support will be going in the next elections.
There can be no greater priority for any government than to ensure that every human being has a roof over their head. Surely even the most strident environmentalist would not argue with that.
Let’s not have luxury housings in Ontario at the cost of remaining good farmland. Let’s grow Our on food to the max and not be held hostage to costs as a result of man-made worldwide disasters !
Bill 23 is an atrocity that the Ontario Government will try to push through and obscure in the guise of fulfilling the housing need when in reality it satisfies first and foremost the interest of developers.
This Bill would overhaul the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System ensuring a drastic reduction in designation which would leave this land open to destruction,
It would replace the Provincial Policy Statement which provides strong protection for Ontario’s farmland and natural heritage with a removal or streamline of existing polices to facilitate development.
It would create a natural heritage offsetting policy that could lead to questionable tradeoffs.
The Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force stated that we do not need to sacrifice environmental protection to address the housing crisis because the shortage of land is a myth. They say that land is available both inside the existing built up areas and on undeveloped land outside the greenbelt.
As well as of this pummelling of the environment, Bill 23 would remove the planning powers of regional municipalities, relieving land developers of development fees and loading the costs onto the municipalities.
It would also remove the power of conservation authorities to grant or withhold permits to build on regulated areas.
Appallingly, it would deny individuals and citizen groups any right of appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
There is much more to Bill 23 and none of it is positive. It is detrimental to our citizen rights, presents huge negative repercussions to the environment in every sense, erodes species survival and presents a threat to human protection.
It’s time for the people to stand up and demand attention to stop this atrocity. Does our provincial government really think Ontarians are so stupid to allow Bill 23 to go through?
All those so-called solutions have been tried before and they have failed miserably at great cost.
A significant increase in the supply of rental housing is what is required to both alleviate the current supply crisis and it’s pricing. In the alternative, the federal government would need to put a moratorium on immigration until supply matches or exceeds demand; or, alternatively, raise taxes sufficiently to be able to build, manage and maintain unprecedented numbers of social housing. Either way, it is going to take significant investment which carries with it significant risk.
Currently, by best estimates, between 90-95% of all rental housing in Ontario is owned by private rental housing suppliers including private and publicly traded corporations. So, logically, it makes sense to listen to what those who do the actual “supplying” have to say. All you have to do is just join one of more of the dozen or so major private landlord chat groups that are out there and read the testimonies:
1. Most “mom’s and pop’s” are going to cite that the single biggest reason why many have been exiting the industry in droves in the last few years is because of a dysfunctional Landlord Tenant Board (LTB) with the biggest complaint about it being that it often takes upwards of one (1) year just to get a hearing. The LTB has been underfunded and understaffed for over eight years now, yet nothing has substantially changed.
2. All, including numbered companies and corporate names are going to cite that the business model becomes unattractive when inflation is running in excess of 8%, while realty taxes and insurance have been going up by double digit percentages for up to 4 years, consecutively in a row. This would be less of an issue if suppliers were able to charge markets rates; but government controlled annual rent increases are generally capped at fractions of what the actual inflation rate really is and rent controls are like winning the lottery for privileged tenants with long-term tenure who often enjoy rents which are less than one half of the going rate.
Both the provincial and federal governments, past and present, have grossly mismanaged almost all aspects of housing policy in what now appears to be the perfect storm. If you don’t believe me, check out the people who are living in motels and hotels almost everywhere.
If the supply issue can not be addressed adequately at present then maintaining these high immigration levels only forces more people into the streets. We here lots of talk from every level of government but no action is being taken.
If you can not evict someone who does not pay there rent, then who will step up in the private sector to help alleviate your housing shortage? You have offered subsidies for housing for years but your rent controls discourage most savvy investors. Good luck kicking out someone who is behind on their rent. Is it not high time the Feds and the Province started building multi residential homes and apartments to house all the people who can no longer afford to pay for housing and food which by the way have all increased under the carbon tax.
If you create a problem through poorly thought
out legislation are you not obligated to offer actual solutions to address the housing shortage you created. Well if you actually cared you might consider doing something meaningful besides talking about it.
Would it not make sense to curtail all immigration until the housing crisis has been properly addressed. I believe in immigration my parents immigrated to Canada. We need realistic targets that take in to account the housing supply, simply ignoring it is why we are in this mess now.
We are forced to support Four levels of government in Muskoka and yet with all this representation no one is offering solutions to the many problems facing people living in Muskoka. The cost to maintain four levels of government and provide the services we need is unsustainable. This is the real reason that Health care and Housing are not being addressed adequately.
Maybe the cost of maintaining all these levels of government is the reason why we do not seem to have the ability to address so many problems facing the people of Ontario.
Mr Ford what’s good for Toronto is good for Muskoka.
Yes great news 10,000 more homes in 2031.I may be dead by that time but good news for some. I have been waiting 11 years for senior housing….Good luck!