In the face of historic economic disruption and increasing global uncertainty, housing must be a top priority in Ontario’s strategy to remain competitive and resilient, particularly in light of growing pressures such as U.S. tariffs. The Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, represents a bold and necessary step forward in accelerating home construction and keeping the dream of home ownership within reach for Ontarians.
For too long, high development charges, excessive red tape, and sluggish approval processes have prevented the construction of homes our communities need. Today’s legislation introduces more than 25 key policy initiatives to speed up housing development. These include several recommendations from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB), development charges (DCs) reforms, support for transit-oriented communities, and enhanced funding transfers to municipalities for essential infrastructure like water and sewer systems.
In particular, the province also plans to clarify which infrastructure services qualify for DCs—an effort to reduce costly disputes between developers and municipalities that have caused unnecessary delays in housing delivery.
In a significant move, the government is also taking steps to enable the construction of four-storey townhouses, creating new opportunities for larger, family-sized homes in growing communities across Ontario. This change is vital to addressing the province’s housing shortage and expanding access to family-oriented housing.
TRREB commends Minister Rob Flack for his leadership and commitment to solving Ontario’s housing affordability and supply crisis. The path to sustainable home ownership must remain a provincial priority, and we stand ready to work in partnership with the Government of Ontario, municipalities, and industry stakeholders to ensure this legislation delivers real solutions for home buyers, sellers, and renters alike.
Elechia Barry-Sproule
President, Toronto Regional Real Estate Board
About TRREB:
The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board is Canada’s largest real estate board with over
69,000 residential and commercial professionals connecting people, property and
communities.
