Mississauga’s Zoning Revolution: A Step Towards Solving Canada’s Housing Crisis
On October 20, Mississauga’s Mayor Bonnie Crombie made headlines by overruling a prior city council decision to approve the construction of a four-unit housing project on low-rise residential lots. This pivotal move not only reaffirms Mississauga’s commitment to tackling the housing crisis, but also positions the city as a frontrunner for federal housing grants.
The Context of the Decision
The approval is part of a broader wave sweeping across Canadian municipalities, responding to an urgent national housing crisis. Since the introduction of the federal government’s $4-billion Housing Accelerator Fund in May, cities have scrambled to adjust their zoning regulations to meet eligibility criteria for this funding. Municipalities such as Brampton, London, Vaughan, and Hamilton have already signed agreements, while others like Mississauga, Kitchener, and Calgary are making significant strides in zoning reforms.
A Zoning Revolution
Experts are calling this trend a "zoning revolution." Traditionally, zoning laws in Canada have heavily favored single-family homes or high-rise condo towers, neglecting a diverse range of housing options often referred to as "missing middle housing." Carolyn Whitzman, a housing policy expert, remarked, “It’s been really fascinating to watch how quickly that’s happened after almost 50 years of that (single-family) zoning being locked in place.” The move to allow increased density is resonating with many cities, which are awakening to the reality that outdated zoning laws exacerbate the housing crisis.
Historical Perspective
Zoning regulations were introduced in the 1920s, but they became notably stricter during the suburban expansion of the 1960s and 1970s. Whitzman points out that a whole generation of residents has been born into a world where single-family homes dominate the landscape, leaving little room for alternative housing models that cater to the diverse needs of today’s population.
Economic Pressures
James McKellar, professor emeritus at York University’s Schulich School of Business, emphasized the pressing need for cities to adapt their zoning laws to better meet the housing needs of their residents. “We just can’t afford this kind of single-family housing," he stated, highlighting that it fails to accommodate an aging population looking to downsize without necessarily moving into a large condo.
What’s Driving the Change?
The federal Housing Accelerator Fund has significantly accelerated zoning changes across Canada. By incentivizing municipalities to construct more fourplexes and mixed housing units, the government is directly addressing the shortage of homes. Housing Minister Sean Fraser noted that some areas are struggling to provide enough housing because it is literally illegal to build types of housing people require.
This federal push is causing various cities to rethink their zoning strategies aggressively, although Whitzman suggests that many municipalities have been engaged in this dialogue long before the introduction of the Housing Accelerator Fund.
Case Studies: Cities Leading the Way
Edmonton: A New Zoning Bylaw
Edmonton has recently passed a groundbreaking bylaw allowing for a significant increase in building density across all neighborhoods. As a result, residents can construct up to three-storey residential buildings, a change that promises to reshape the city’s housing landscape for generations. Housing advocates like Yash Bhandari worked tirelessly to engage various community voices that are typically underrepresented in municipal governance, resulting in hundreds of submissions to city council.
Calgary and Ontario Cities
Calgary has also reformulated its zoning rules to accommodate more housing types, while Kitchener and Guelph have highlighted the construction of fourplexes as a potential solution to local housing issues. Even major urban centers like Toronto and Vancouver are now permitting greater density with new zoning amendments.
Gaps and Future Challenges
Despite the positive momentum, not all cities are keeping pace. Ottawa, in particular, has been criticized for its old zoning bylaws and a resistance to change. Dean Tester of the group Make Housing Affordable argues that Ottawa’s stringent regulations make multi-unit housing nearly impossible to build. The city holds the highest quantity of vacant residential land in the country, yet the outdated zoning restrictions hinder potential solutions.
Moreover, changes in zoning must be accompanied by broader discussions about construction costs and labor market conditions, which have risen dramatically in recent years. A Statistics Canada report indicates that construction costs in cities like Toronto have skyrocketed by 74% from 2010 to 2022, creating additional barriers to increasing housing supply.
The Road Ahead
Experts argue that while zoning changes are crucial, they must be integrated with other policies regarding transportation and urban planning. The Canadian Urban Transit Association recently urged a more cohesive approach that merges housing and transit policies to create more livable and affordable urban environments.
As Canada grapples with its housing crisis, the ongoing "zoning revolution" could hold the key to unlocking new opportunities for diverse housing models across municipalities. The federal Housing Accelerator Fund has indeed sparked vital conversations between various levels of government, indicating that zoning will play a central role in the national discourse on housing moving forward.
In conclusion, as Mississauga and other municipalities take bold steps towards adjusting their zoning laws, the hope is for a future where housing needs can be met, allowing Canadians from all demographics to find a suitable place to call home.
