'I'm a bit concerned,' Barrie's mayor flags issues with housing task force recommendations

Barrie's mayor is cautioning against cutting out the input of residents and municipalities in the race to build more than 1.5 million housing units in the next decade.

On Tuesday, a housing affordability task force appointed by the province issued 55 recommendations to wrestle down the cost of housing and boost supply.

The group recommends eliminating municipal policies that prioritize preserving "neighbourhood character" and exempting projects of 10 units or fewer from public consultation when they only need minor variances and limiting municipalities from hosting talks beyond what is required in the Planning Act.

Mayor Jeff Lehman, who is also chair of Ontario's Big City Mayors, feels local voices must be heard in planning neighbourhoods.

"I am a bit concerned about the overreach in some of these recommendations," Lehman says.

In particular, Lehman takes issue with a suggestion that buildings of up to 11 storeys be permitted along any transit corridor.

"No resident input, no municipal decision. You're just allowed to build 11 storeys anywhere that there's a bus route. That's an overreach. That's not appropriate," Lehman says.

The mayor is supportive of adding density near major transit hubs as is planned for the South Barrie GO Station.

He says he is heartened that the task force is recommending a move he and other big-city mayors have been calling for to entice developers to build rental units: urging provincial and federal governments to provide loan guarantees for purpose-built rentals and affordable housing.

Lehman feels efforts to bring more skilled immigrants to Canada and make trades more appealing will also help address a labour shortage in the building industry.

Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark says he's confident he can enact some of the solutions through legislation or regulation or both before the spring election.

With files from the Canadian Press