The Editor
(Letters to the Editor)
Ottawa Citizen
Dear Editor:
While it is obvious the the Ford Government wants to change the municipal planning process to enable more homes to be built (Bill 23: More Homes Built Faster Act), the notion that reducing or eliminating development charges to enable new home construction may be not as effective as the Ford Government thinks.
Development charges are levied on new residential homes in order to pay for the infrastructure (roads, water, sewers, etc.) to service these new homes, based in the long-held principle that growth should pay for growth. Reducing or eliminating these charges would certainly lower housing costs, but it shifts the burden for paying for the new infrastructure onto property taxpayers.
In case nobody noticed, in the recent City of Ottawa municipal election the leading candidates for Mayor promised to cap City budgets at 3% (or less) property tax increases. Does anyone really think that the new City Council will be willing to raise taxes by 5 or 6% in order to accommodate the infrastructure that new development will require? Don't think so.
In fact, this initiative by the Ford Government will likely slow the provision of new housing, as little will be built if the infrastructure is not there to support it. The Ford Government may wish to re-think its proposal regarding development charges.
Alex Cullen
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