NDP calls on Ford to reimburse cities for Bill 23 developer fee losses

Housing critic says Ford is jeopardizing health and livability of our cities

TORONTO —The NDP MPP for University—Rosedale and Housing critic Jessica Bell has written to Doug Ford urging his government to reimburse municipalities for the loss in development fee revenue they’re facing due to the government’s Bill 23.

“Doug Ford is jeopardizing the health and livability of our towns and cities, forcing Ontarians to pay more taxes for less service by axing development fees that municipalities rely on to help pay for infrastructure like parks, transit, shelters and affordable housing programs," Bell said.

“To make sure cities like Toronto are able to meet the infrastructure needs of current and future residents without being forced to hike taxes, Ford must reimburse municipalities for the loss in development fee revenue caused by Bill 23.”

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario estimates that Bill 23 will reduce municipal revenue from developer fees by $5.1 billion over nine years. City of Toronto staff calculate that Bill 23 will cost Toronto $2.3 billion in lost revenue over 10 years.

Bell stressed: “Toronto’s recent budget provides damning proof that Ford’s Bill 23— a so-called housing bill that in reality serves only to make Ford’s developer friends even richer—will exacerbate Toronto’s housing affordability and homelessness crisis.”

“If the Ford government fails to reimburse Toronto for development fee losses, Toronto’s HousingTO plan, which is set to build 40,000 homes on public land, is at risk of losing 57 per cent of its funding."