Clarington Approves Affordable Housing Toolkit

On November 25, 2019, the General Government Committee of Clarington approved the Affordable Housing Toolkit, aimed at incentivizing affordable housing development in the municipality. The toolkit includes several measures to support qualifying affordable housing projects. These measures are: expedited approvals, exemptions from development charges for secondary suites, deferral of payment of development charges, partial waivers of development application fees, waivers of security requirements, and property tax rate rebates. Additionally, the committee directed staff to prepare a draft Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-Law Amendment to comply with Bill 108, which pertains to additional residential units. The committee also discussed the potential for inclusionary zoning policies and community benefits charges, with staff tasked to investigate these options further. Furthermore, the committee emphasized the importance of providing education on affordable housing development, particularly in collaboration with non-profit organizations. A dedicated staff member from the Planning Services Department will be appointed to manage the Affordable Housing portfolio, ensuring focused efforts in this area.