The Ford government announced it has appointed nine members to a new Housing Affordability Task Force assigned to provide key recommendations on measures to help boost Ontario’s affordable housing supply.
“Young families, seniors and all hardworking Ontarians are desperate for housing that meets their needs and budget,” said Premier Doug Ford. “At a time when our government is hard at work building an economy that works for everyone, this Task Force will provide us with concrete, expert advice that will support our government as we make it easier for more Ontarians to realize the dream of home ownership.”
Plans for a housing task force were first announced as part of the 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario. The mandate of the new panel is to explore measures that will:
- Increase the supply of market rate rental and ownership housing;
- Build housing supply in complete communities;
- Reduce red tape and accelerate timelines;
- Encourage innovation and digital modernization, such as in planning processes;
- Support economic recovery and job creation; and
- Balance housing needs with protecting the environment.
Chaired by Jake Lawrence, CEO and Group Head, Global Banking and Markets at Scotiabank, the panel includes a diverse range of experts in not-for-profit housing, Indigenous housing, real estate, home builders, financial markets and economics.
“I’m honoured to have been appointed as the Chair of Ontario’s new Housing Affordability Task Force,” Lawrence said. “I’m proud to work with a diverse team of experts who are committed to ensuring improved housing affordability for current and future Ontarians. We are eager to begin our work to identify and recommend actionable solutions and policies to support the government’s efforts to address the province’s housing affordability crisis.”
“Our government’s policies under the Housing Supply Action Plan are working to address affordability, but more needs to be done at all levels of government,” added Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “The Housing Affordability Task Force will help our government build on our progress by identifying more opportunities to increase the supply of all kinds of housing, especially the missing middle. Under Mr. Lawrence’s strong leadership, I am confident in the expertise and experiences of this Task Force, and I thank them for their commitment to help us address the housing crisis.”
According to the official release, Ontario will continue to work with municipal partners in an effort to “unlock housing and make finding a home more affordable for hardworking Ontarians.” This includes working with municipalities through the upcoming Provincial-Municipal Housing Summit and a special session with rural municipalities leading up to the ROMA conference in January 2022. The chair’s report outlining the Task Force’s recommendations will be published in early 2022.
The complete list of Task Force members can be found here: news.ontario.ca
