Affordable housing in Ontario : Challenging the Current Paradigm

Currently municipalities in Ontario lack the necessary legal and financial powers to secure a wide selection of affordable housing types, ranging in price and tenure. In other provinces in Canada, such as British Columbia, municipalities possess a greater degree of authority and flexibility to meet the housing needs of local residents. One mechanism which has proven quite successful is inclusionary zoning - a land use planning ordinance which attempts to secure a certain amount of affordable housing units at every new development. This paper advocates for a philosophical shift in the way affordable housing is conceptualized in Ontario. Since affordable housing is an increasingly complex issue with no simple solution, all tools and options must be surveyed and utilized to lessen the affordability squeeze.