Inclusionary zoning for your community

Finding affordable, suitable housing in many Ontario communities is becoming more challenging. In response to rising housing challenges, the Province of Ontario passed legislation in 2018 which allowed municipalities to implement inclusionary zoning, a new planning tool to require affordable housing in new developments on private lands. The Planning Act set outs the process municipalities must undertake to implement inclusionary zoning and restricts the use of inclusionary zoning to protected major transit station areas or areas ordered by the minister. However, municipalities have the flexibility to determine many of the policy parameters around inclusionary zoning, including the size of development it applies to, how many affordable units are required, how long they stay affordable, and the depth of affordability.
 
Our session begins with a discussion of the provincial requirements for inclusionary zoning and the background work municipalities need to undertake to initiate the process. We then walk through an interactive process of balancing competing priorities to help participants consider the priorities for their own community and discuss other engagement techniques for difficult conversations on affordable housing. Throughout the session, we draw on the City of Toronto’s experience in undertaking this process over the last two years and share steps the City has completed to develop draft policies and lessons learned along the way.

Speakers:
Deanna Chorney, RPP, MCIP, Project Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Policy & Analysis, City of Toronto
Christine Ono, Senior Planner, City of Toronto
Ryan Siersma, Planner, Dillon Consulting Limited

Speakers