Premier Doug Ford’s government says its new rules for land use in Ontario will increase the pace of housing construction, but a closer look at the proposed changes calls that claim into question. 

The government’s proposal would overhaul Ontario’s two major policies for land-use planning: one applies to the Greater Golden Horseshoe, stretching from Peterborough to Barrie to Niagara, the other applies everywhere else. 

The new set of land-use guidelines would apply across the province and is “housing-focused,” says Steve Clark, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 

“It would give municipalities more flexibility, reduce duplication, create more homes in urban and rural communities, support local economies and create jobs,” Clark said in a news conference at Queen’s Park Thursday afternoon. 

Land-use policies matter for a host of reasons. They affect how much housing gets built in cities, they influence what purposes land can be used for and they dictate where industrial, commercial and housing developments should or should not go.

So when the government proposes fundamental changes, it’s crucial to look at the fine print. 

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