Ontario government unveils plans it says will speed up construction of housing, transit

The Ontario government is proposing to expand its ability to impose dense “transit-oriented communities” along public-transit lines and restrict the ability of municipalities to demand certain studies before approving development – measures it says would speed up construction. The province’s Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister, Rob Flack, unveiled a long list of proposed changes on Monday in a bill that he says would allow housing, and transit and other infrastructure, to get built faster. He also said this week’s provincial budget will include $400-million in new funding for municipalities to build water systems and other infrastructure needed for new housing.