Streamlined approvals to deliver more housing for the people

VAUGHAN, ON, July 4, 2018 /CNW/ - Whether you're a millennial or a first-time homebuyer, it is difficult to get on the housing ladder. The housing supply chain in the GTA is mired in red tape, but there are ways to increase the speed and efficiency of housing approvals, according to a new report by the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON), which in turn will help the supply.

It's called "Streamlining the Development and Building Approvals Process in Ontario: Good Practice Concepts and a Guide to Action." This report suggests the low-hanging fruit for the Progressive Conservatives is streamlining the development and building approval process.

"Representing Canada, Toronto is 54^th out of 190 countries assessed by the World Bank in terms of the efficiency of its approvals process for routine building projects," says Richard Lyall, president of RESCON. "This ranking isn't for an 80-storey mixed-development high-rise – it's for the most basic of buildings such as a warehouse. We are a G7 nation – 54^th for Toronto, Ontario and Canada isn't acceptable."

"We must do something about this ranking within the next three years: delays on this scale cost the Ontario government, industry and consumers billions of dollars. If this is not addressed, we will lose out on potential international investors."

This ranking led World Bank consultant Michael de Lint (also of RESCON) to tackle the report over the past nine months. Among the recommendations in his report, RESCON's director of building regulatory reform and technical standards suggests the Ontario government do the following:

1. Pass a Transparency Act to improve timelines and support a transparency checklist.
2. Establish a common data/file platform for electronic permitting to move Queen's Park and its 444 municipalities to a state-of-the-art system and out of the world of pen and paper.
3. Require a coordinating professional and supportive documentation to ensure all professional submissions are complete and accurate, leading to faster approvals and less red tape.

Click here for the report.

"The slow approvals process inhibits the ability of builders to provide the supply of new houses and condos that new-home buyers should be able to purchase," de Lint says. "This report can help point the government in the right direction toward less red tape and faster compliance."

WHAT IS RESCON?

The Residential Construction Council of Ontario represents more than 200 of Ontario's residential builders. Our members build world-class high-rise, mid-rise and low-rise homes, including rental apartments and social housing buildings. Visit www.rescon.com for more.

SOURCE Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON)

Aonghus Kealy, Director of Communications, RESCON, [email protected], C: 647-530-4855