May 12, 2025 – OTTAWA, ON — The Greater Ottawa Home Builders' Association (GOHBA) applauds the Ontario government’s announcement of The Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, new legislation intended to speed up housing approvals and reduce the cost of new homes for residents in Ottawa and across the province.

 

“High development charges are a well-known barrier to building the homes our city needs,” said Jason Burggraaf, GOHBA’s Executive Director. “These reforms by the Ford government are critical improvements. Ensuring fair, transparent, and justified development charges is essential to meeting our shared housing goals as a city and province.”

 

GOHBA has repeatedly raised concerns about the negative impact of rapidly increasing development charges in Ottawa, which have risen significantly over the past 19 months alone.

 

From October 1, 2023, to April 1, 2025, development charges have been revised five times, increasing the development charge rates for singles, semis, towns, and apartments across the city:

 

• 30 per cent inside the Greenbelt
• 24 per cent outside the Greenbelt
• 28 per cent in serviced rural areas
• 30 per cent in unserviced rural areas

 

GOHBA is particularly encouraged by the following proposals to improve housing affordability and supply:

 

• Simplifying, streamlining and reducing costly local development fees
• Reducing costs and speeding up project approvals with consistent building construction standards across Ontario
• Bringing consistency and transparency to development applications, land use planning approvals, and contents of municipal official plans.

 

GOHBA also welcomes the government’s increased investment in the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and Municipal Housing Infrastructure Fund for a total of nearly $2.3 billion over four years.

 

“It is critical to invest in infrastructure today in order to facilitate the construction of housing in the future. The potential for growth and intensification in Ottawa and across the province hinges on the adequacy of its supporting infrastructure. It’s great to see the provincial government addressing this critical aspect of housing affordability and supply,” said Burggraaf.

 

“These proposed changes represent meaningful reforms that better balance the need for infrastructure with the urgent demand for new housing.”

 

GOHBA remains committed to working with all levels of government to ensure that policies support housing affordability and supply for Ottawa’s current and future residents.