SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Ontario Assembly

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
March 5, 2024 09:00AM
  • Mar/5/24 11:10:00 a.m.

Good morning, everyone. My question is for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. I’m sure the minister fondly remembers last year at committee when I asked him about the major transit station area approvals. It has now been 111 days since the minister told me that sign-off would be soon and that “soon” meant “very soon.”

Well, in those 111 days, not only have the Ontario Liberals released a comprehensive housing plan, including a strong focus on quickly approving and upzoning MTSAs, but also, I have had the time to order a Webster’s dictionary for the minister and I’ve highlighted the definition of “soon.” I’m happy to educate the minister on his vocabulary. “Soon” means “without undue time lapse,” “before long,” “in a prompt manner,” “straightaway,” “shortly”—some time in the 21st century.

Enough of the vague promises and false hopes. We need a specific date and time for municipalities to get shovels in the ground. Speaker, my question to the minister is, when will you approve the MTSAs for Toronto and Ontario?

If the government truly believes that they’re delivering on their housing plan, let’s look at their track record: Limit exclusionary zoning in municipalities through binding provincial action? Nope, hasn’t been done. Allow as-of-right zoning up to unlimited height and unlimited density in the immediate proximity of individual major transit stations? Nope, hasn’t been done. Allow as-of-right zoning up to six to 11 storeys with no minimum parking requirements on all streets utilized by public transit? Nope, hasn’t been done.

I could go on, because they have yet to implement 52 of 55 recommendations from their own housing task force.

Speaker, the Ontario Liberals have a bold housing plan. In 2026, under Bonnie Crombie, we will fix the many, many disasters and crises this government has created—

Interjections.

Interjections.

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