Exciting news from Belleville and 20 other places in Ontario – they’re getting a cool power boost known as “strong mayor” powers. So, what’s the buzz? Well, Premier Doug Ford just announced a whopping $1.2 billion in incentives to supercharge housing growth. The goal? Build a whopping 1.5 million homes by 2031 to keep up with the province’s growing population.
Now, here’s the scoop on these “strong mayor” powers. Imagine mayors getting to put forward housing rules and pass them with support from just a third of the council. Plus, they can even tweak certain rules that the council approved – talk about control! And here’s the cherry on top: mayors also get to handle their city’s budget. All this jazz is happening in cities that are expected to have over 50,000 people by 2031 – and that’s a cool 50 strong mayors in the mix.
Oh, and speaking of Belleville, they’ve got their eyes set on a goal – a whopping 3,100 new homes by 2031. That’s some serious ambition! But wait, there’s more – a nifty thing called the “Building Faster Fund.” It’s like a helping hand for cities that reach 80% of their housing goals. This fund is all about making it rain for stuff like roads and water lines – you know, the things that make new homes possible.
Now, not to rain on the parade, but there’s a teensy concern. Some folks are worried about a new provincial law that’s trimming down the fees that developers pay. And these fees are usually used to fund stuff like roads and water lines – the very things we need for all those new homes.
Let’s see how this adventure unfolds!
Source: QuinteNews
