The looming housing crisis dominated discussions today between York Region and the province about possible changes to the region’s governance structure.
Politicians from York Region and Bradford addressed what they felt were the strengths and weaknesses of regional government, as well as shared ideas for housing solutions, as part of a series of public hearings on regional governance review in Vaughan Jan. 17.
Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti called for a major change, standing by his June proclamation that York Region should become one, single-tier city, with all nine lower-tier municipalities united.
“If you want to bring about the most effective change, consolidation is needed,” Scarpitti said, noting that the municipalities and region currently have 10 planning departments, 10 roads departments, 10 corporate communications departments and more.
“Streamlined governance in York Region will reduce costs, increase service levels and lower taxes,” he said.
The province's standing committee on heritage, infrastructure and cultural policy is holding hearings across Ontario. The province recently backtracked on its decision to dissolve Peel Region last year, but at the time it had prompted Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca to call for Vaughan’s independence and Scarpitti to call for amalgamation.
Del Duca did not refer to Vaughan’s independence in his remarks to the committee today, but said significant change should be explored to ensure young Ontarians can afford homes in the future.
“The gravity of the crisis we face requires that we leave no stone unturned as we modernize a governance structure that was made several decades ago,” Del Duca said. “We will not get a second chance to get this right.”
He recommended measures such as keeping planning strictly on the lower-tier level, allowing municipalities capable of it to take over regional roads, and creating a corporation to oversee the construction of water and wastewater infrastructure in bigger regions.
Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor James Leduc also suggested changes to regional governance. While he complimented Simcoe County, he said its structure now has its issues due to his municipality’s urbanization.
With all 16 of Simcoe’s lower-tier municipalities having two seats at the county table, plus participation from the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia, he said there should be a change to make it more representative of the population, as well as perhaps the county governing differently in its south end versus the north.
“The two-tier system of governance remains the best approach,” he said, but added that “one approach does not necessarily fit all.”
Regional officials defended the role of the two-tier governance system. York Region CEO and chairman Wayne Emmerson said residents are largely happy with the services they receive from the region and York is committed to efficient service delivery.
"We have a strong track record that demonstrates we not only know that it works, but we know how to make it work with our two-tier government system," Emmerson said.
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor did not speak at the meeting, but submitted written comments. He said it is positive that the province does not seem to be inclined to make major changes after backtracking on dissolving Peel.
“Spending time energy, and resources over multiple years planning and implementing changes to municipal governments — changes that history has shown to be ineffective — would only be a distraction that we cannot afford at this time,” he said.
He is open to change to improve service delivery, but it would take careful consideration, he said.
“That said, if we are serious about fixing the housing crisis, that is where we need to focus right now, it is too big a challenge and governance reform will distract all of us,” Taylor said.
Housing at issue
Emmerson raised sticking points for municipalities regarding the loss of development charges needed to help build infrastructure.
He also raised issues with the progress of sewage improvements York Region requires for growth, with the province choosing expansion of a Peel Region facility over the region’s preferred northern solution that it had pushed for about a decade without getting provincial approval.
“I’m asking the province of Ontario for a billion dollars. That’s how much more it’s going to cost me to go south (rather) than go to Lake Simcoe,” Emmerson said. “Every time there’s a delay, it costs us, and we’re not going to get it done.”
Scarpitti said municipalities need significantly more funding as a whole, adding that if the province expects municipalities to double the rate at which they are building housing, there needs to be more funding all around to maintain services on top of building out new infrastructure.
NDP Niagara Centre MPP Jeff Burch asked about the concept of a “use it or lose it” policy when it comes to housing approvals, with municipalities raising concerns about developers getting approvals but not building. The idea got support from municipal representatives.
“If we’re going to the trouble to hurry up and your application is approved, then you need to put your skin in the game that you’re actually going to build it,” Richmond Hill Mayor David West said.
Burch also pushed back on Scarpitti's idea of cost savings through municipal amalgamation, saying years of studies have found that amalgamations do not necessarily lead to savings.
The committee will hold one more hearing in Kitchener Jan. 18 before wrapping up the series of hearings.
Newmarket-Aurora MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy serves on the committee. She told NewmarketToday following the meeting that the committee will prepare a report over the next several weeks highlighting the feedback received. After that, it could go before the provincial legislature, possibly in late March.
Gallagher Murphy said it was positive to hear from political leaders on issues like intensification, as well as sewage infrastructure.
"What I'd really like to know is how fast we get that (water and wastewater infrastructure) done, can they meet their housing targets still within the 10 years," she said. "That's something further we need to discuss with our municipal partners."
Newmarket Deputy Mayor Tom Vegh attended the hearing and spoke positively about the dialogue. He added that although infrastructure is an issue, getting affordable housing on the market goes beyond that.
"It's very good," he said. "This is ... a grown-up conversation. It's not my press release versus your press release ... Everybody wants more housing. There are some things we need (that are) holding us back."
