TCAN Bill 23 Media Release
Groups urges province to halt Bill 23, calls on all Ontarians to join Days of Action on Dec 3 & 4
Pledge to continue opposition to Bill 23 for as long as it takes.
Toronto – Voices representing First Nations, Housing, Healthcare, and Municipal interests joined dozens of others in calling on the provincial legislature to halt the passing of Bill 23, the so-called “More Homes Built Faster” act.
At a press conference at Queen’s Park on Monday morning, Chief Kelly LaRocca of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, Alejandra Ruiz Vargas of ACORN-Canada, Dr. Mili Roy of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, and Steve Parish, former mayor of the Town of Ajax, urged the Ontario Legislature to stop the passage of the act, which was expected to be called for a vote on Monday.
Environmental Protections lost
If passed in its current form, Bill 23 would be devastating for environmental protections in the province.
“Weakening wetland protections, reducing the power of Conservation Authorities, and meddling with longstanding processes are not needed to build housing – they simply undermine our democracy and place the environment at risk of permanent damage,” said Chief LaRocca in a statement read to the press.
The destruction of environmental protections would have a detrimental impact on the health of all Ontarians.
“The Bill will undermine housing and food security, both fundamental determinants of health. It will escalate deadly air pollution which already prematurely kills 6600 Ontarians every year, and fuel the climate crisis which represents the single greatest human health crisis today,” said Dr. Mili Roy of the Ontario Chapter of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.
Harmful to renters and the availability of affordable housing
Bill 23 would also be exceptionally harmful to renters, taking away municipal rules that require developers to replace current rental units with similarly-priced units for tenants displaced by development.
“Getting rid of the rental replacement bylaws in cities will mean more tenants will be displaced from their homes and we will lose the last remaining affordable housing stock we already have,” said Alejandra Ruiz Vargas of ACORN-Canada, a network of community organizations that support low- and medium-income citizens.
Massive cuts to affordable housing
Another way that Bill 23 hurts housing affordability is through cutting municipal budgets by drastically reducing the development fees municipalities use to help pay for services and affordable housing construction. “Reducing development charges in Bill 23 takes substantial revenues from municipalities and puts them in the pockets of developers,” said Steve Parish, the former mayor of the Town of Ajax. “There are only two possible ways municipalities can deal with this - don’t build the required infrastructure with the resulting decline in our living conditions; or place the burden of this shortfall on the backs of existing property taxpayers who are already struggling.”
Calls to join Days of Action
The coalition is calling on all Ontarians to join the upcoming Days of Action on the weekend of December 3, and to call on their MPPs to halt the passage of the bill.
Altogether, dozens of organizations representing thousands of people who live and work in Ontario have called for the provincial legislature to halt the passing of Bill 23, the so-called “More Homes Built Faster” act. These include municipal councils, First Nations, environmental and conservation organizations, healthcare workers, housing advocates, and agricultural organizations.
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Full Quotes:
“Our First Nation is calling on the province to reconsider many elements of its legislation and pursue a thoughtful approach to housing supply. Weakening wetland protections, reducing the power of Conservation Authorities, and meddling with longstanding processes are not needed to build housing – they simply undermine our democracy and place the environment at risk of permanent damage.”
Chief Kelly LaRocca, Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation
“Bill 23 is not in the interest of Ontarians. It will unleash incalculable public health harms locked in for generations to come, while devastating the health of our environment, economy and democracy.. The Bill will undermine housing and food security, both fundamental determinants of health. It will escalate deadly air pollution which already prematurely kills 6600 Ontarians every year, and fuel the climate crisis which represents the single greatest human health crisis today. Ontarians call on the government to halt Bill 23 and implement the ready sustainable solutions already put forward by professional planners and municipalities. There has never been more at stake, as the ways in which we use our land, move, eat and live over just the next few years will determine our chances of a healthy livable future for all.”
Dr. Mili Roy, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), Ontario Chapter
“Bill 23 will be devastating for tenants in Ontario. Getting rid of the rental replacement bylaws in cities will mean more tenants will be displaced from their homes and we will lose the last remaining affordable housing stock we already have. Not to mention it will gut the Inclusionary Zoning policy ACORN and allies won last year. It's clear Ford does not care about the well being of low to moderate income people in Ontario.”
Alejandra Ruiz Vargas, ACORN-Canada (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now)
“Reducing development charges in Bill 23 takes substantial revenues from municipalities and puts them in the pockets of developers. There are only two possible ways municipalities can deal with this - don’t build the required infrastructure with the resulting decline in our living conditions; or place the burden of this shortfall on the backs of existing property taxpayers who are already struggling.”
Steve Parish, Former Mayor, Town of Ajax
Photo of the press conference. From left to right: Mili Roy, Steve Parish, Alejandra Ruiz Vargas, and Chloe Tse.