PRESS RELEASE: Ontario Reveals More Homes, More Choice: A Housing Supply Action Plan to Help Ottawa

More Homes, More Choice: Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan will tackle Ontario’s housing crisis. With this plan, our government is encouraging our housing and building partners to do their part to build more housing that meets the needs of people here in Ottawa and across the province.

“Finding a home, and more importantly, finding an affordable home, is a challenge for many in Carleton,” said MPP Ghamari. “Our plan will make it easier to build the types of homes that Carleton’s residents, from young families to senior citizens, are looking for and at a price they can afford.”

Homeowners and tenants need affordable places to live – places that meet their needs at every stage of life with dignity and respect. For some, that’s a home with an extra bedroom for visiting family members, or an affordable place near a bus route or close to the local school. For others, it might mean living in suburban communities closer to urban Ottawa, like Stittsville or Findlay Creek, but with plenty of space for a garden and close to nature trails.

The previous government created a complex housing development system that is impossible for big builders to navigate, much less individual homeowners. Red tape and government fees can add years of paperwork and thousands of dollars to the cost of an average home, which in turn drives prices up for renters and buyers alike.

The new measures proposed in More Homes, More Choice would streamline the overly complicated approvals process to remove unnecessary duplication and red tape, while protecting health, safety, a vibrant agricultural sector and the environment – including the Greenbelt.

“Whether it’s encouraging more rental properties, or helping the dream of home ownership become reality, we are ensuring that the Ottawa region has housing to fit every need,” said Minister MacLeod. “I’m proud to be a part of a government committed to providing more homes, and more choice for Ontarians.”

“We will fix the housing crisis without touching the Greenbelt. We will preserve it so that future generations of Ontarians can enjoy and appreciate it in all its beauty,” said MPP Ghamari. “Our action plan puts people first. Whether you are buying your first home, you are a growing family looking for a larger place to rent, or an empty-nester downsizing into a smaller and more accessible home, we are here to help.”

“The housing improvements our Government is making will have a direct impact in Kanata and in West Carleton. Easing the regulatory burden and working with housing developers to build the needed mix of housing units will be a boost to our local home building industry,” Kanata-Carleton MPP Merrilee Fullerton adds, “The government’s plan will encourage different types of housing to ensure developments can meet the variety of needs of our growing population and, at the same time, maintain the distinct characters of our neighborhoods.”

Building more housing will also make Ottawa more attractive to businesses and investors, proving Ontario is open for business and open for jobs.