BILD Forum: Building Futures in York Region

Recently, the Newinhomes.com team had the pleasure of attending the Building Industry and Land Development Association’s (BILD) Building Futures in York forum, a live and interactive discussion about the building industry’s role in the development of the region. The three speakers included Mayor Frank Scarpitti of the City of Markham, Mayor David Barrow of the Town of Richmond Hill, and Commissioner of Planning John Mackenzie represented the City of Vaughan in the absence of Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua.

Throughout the afternoon the three representatives of their municipalities discussed the driving forces behind their communities, the future of planning, as well as the challenges that they and the industry are facing and will face in the near future to develop healthy, cohesive communities and neighbourhoods.

(L-R) Michael Pozzebon, BILD York Chapter Chair, Metrus Development Inc., John Mackenzie, Commissioner of Planning in Vaughan, Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham, David Barrow, Mayor of Richmond Hill

Why are people moving to York?

Let’s start out on a high note. Barrow, Mackenzie, and Scarpitti all listed a number of driving forces attracting families to Richmond Hill, Vaughan, and Markham. Scarpitti said that York’s top rated educational system is a powerful incentive for new Canadian families. He also mentioned that York is one of the safest regions in Canada in which to live, as far as crime rates go.

Mackenzie highlighted that thanks to the growth over the last few years, many new services and businesses have opened, creating new jobs and opportunities for those seeking employment.

We think the most important aspect of York region is that it is entering an era of Millenials who are moving out of their family homes, but wanting to live in the same neighbourhood. Barrow presented the notion that York is starting to develop distinct neighbourhoods, so people are not referring to their living locations by intersections anymore, but by the actual name of an area, not unlike in downtown Toronto. The fact that people are becoming attached to these neighbourhoods means that York is on the verge of supporting many more generations, and it’s becoming more important than ever to establish connected and well-thought out communities.

What’s the master-plan for York?

In all three municipalities, the Yonge Street subway expansion is a top priority. Moving people throughout the region and into downtown is very important to create an environment where commuting is possible without a car. Providing all-day service on the Barrie GO line is also a high priority.

Secondary suite bylaws and policies will may be coming into effect soon. The bylaws would allow the municipalities to use Section 37 money generated by secondary suites to develop infrastructure to accommodate the growth. The secondary suites benefit homeowners who are looking for a way to help support their monthly carrying costs, and the suites also provide affordable options for people who can’t yet afford to own.

Continuing to get members of the community more involved in the development of York is another priority. The municipalities are striving to have more information available online and are attempting to streamline certain permit processes, bill payments, general inquiries, etc. Establishing a better connection between the residents and municipality is the first step to creating communities that the families of York actually want.

What challenges will the industry face in York?

The master-plan may involve creating new transit options, but it might not be happening quickly enough. Barrow pointed out that housing development along York’s corridors is causing more congestion, and transit and road infrastructure hasn’t been able to keep up with the high demand for low-rise detached and attached living.

Scarpitti drove the point home saying that this type of infrastructure needs funding from the province, and he urged the new home industry to continue to push government representatives to invest in York’s transit and road infrastructure. At this point, intensification could be creating more issues than sprawl ever would, which leads us into the next challenge.

The Greenbelt, created to prevent sprawl and protect wild and agricultural land, seems to have been simply drawn on a map without any scientific approach. Currently, 69% of York region lives in the Greenbelt in homes built before the restrictions came into place. The Greenbelt doesn’t affect all of York, but some builders and developers do own land locked up in the restricted zones. The frustrating thing is that there actually is plenty of undeveloped land available, but it is all so far away that it would be very expensive to service the areas with water, sewage, roads, etc.

The panel also discussed the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) and rising development charges (DCs), but the issues with these two factors aren’t new. The industry is well aware of DCs affecting affordability and the municipality has been frustrated by the OMB’s “unaccountable” decision making (as put by Barrow).

What does the future hold for York?

Amidst the discussions of policy, transit, congestion, new bylaws, DCs, the OMB, the Greenbelt, education, employment, and all the other topics, the one thing that really stood out at the end of the afternoon was when Barrow said that the “old suburban” model of living is no longer sustainable.

York is on its way to becoming a healthy mix of urban and suburban living. People want to live in walkable areas well serviced by transit, they don’t want to go downtown Toronto all the time for entertainment and shopping, they want larger amenities nearby. The idea of living in the suburbs and working downtown has been changing gradually in recent years. We saw it first when the desire to live downtown in condos close to work became popular, but we never considered what was happening in the suburbs. What do we call this new type of lifestyle? New Suburban?

Thanks to BILD’s Building Futures in York live and interactive discussion, the industry now has a different way to think about developing communities in the areas formerly known as suburbs.