Burlington Housing Strategy

We want to start the discussion with you on Burlington’s proposed Community Improvement Plan! The City is looking at financial and non-financial incentives such as grants or tax incentives to enable new housing units.

Housing-Focused Community Improvement Plan - Public Open Houses:

• In-person Public Open House – Wednesday, Dec. 4, 7-9 p.m., Mountainside Community Centre Community Room 2
• Virtual Public Open House – Thursday, Dec. 5, 7-9 p.m. on Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86389784390
• In-person Public Open House – Monday, Dec. 9, 7-9 p.m., Appleby Ice Centre Community Room 1

We want to support property owners and housing providers build new rental, affordable and missing middle housing.

Missing Middle Housing are the different types of multi-unit housing that fill the gap between low-rise, single-family homes and large apartment buildings, such as a garden suite, garage or basement apartment, duplexes, fourplexes, courtyard housing and low-rise apartments (4 storeys or less). These buildings are usually similar in size to detached homes so they can fit into residential neighborhoods. The goal is to increase housing options in neighbourhoods and create communities that are walkable with local services and have public transportation options.

Staff report PL-92-24: Draft Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments to Increase Housing Options – Statutory Public Meeting is now available online. The staff report provides an overview of the work completed through Phase 1 and 2 of the Official Plan Amendment to Increase Housing Options project, public engagement throughout the project and the modifications proposed through the draft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendment. The report also includes the Feedback Report as an appendix.

The report can be found in the Agenda Meeting Package for the December 2^nd / 3^rd, Committee of the Whole Statutory Public Meeting at www.burlington.ca/calendar

Tell us what you think:

Speak at the upcoming Statutory Public Meeting on Tuesday December 3^rd, 2024 at 9:30 AM.

• Pre-register to speak by noon Friday November 29^th, 2024:

1. Filling out the form at www.burlington.ca/delegation
2. submitting a written request by email to the Office of the City Clerk at clerks@burlington.ca or
3. calling 905-335-7600, ext 7481

OR Register during the Statutory Public Meeting by emailing clerks@burlington.ca if you are virtually, and follow the instructions provided at the meeting if attending in person.

Send your comments to Jo-Anne Rudy, Committee Clerk at jo-anne.rudy@burlington.ca by noon Friday November 29, 2024 if you wish for it to be distributed and reviewed by all members of the Committee in advance of the Statutory Public Meeting on Tuesday December 3^rd, 2024

Talk with a Planner: book a time between December 6 -16^th to speak with a Planner about the Official Plan Amendment to Increase Housing Options. Send in a request or your comments to us by emailing housingstrategy@burlington.ca today!

Any feedback received at the Statutory Public Meeting and over the course of December 2024 will be used to refine and finalize the draft Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments prior to Council’s consideration of a recommendation report to be brought forward to the Committee of the Whole in January 2025.

Thank you to all those who were able to join us for the Official Plan Amendment Public Open Houses. The presentations are now available.

Recording of the Virtual Open House (To access Closed Captioning, click onto the icon that says CC)

The City of Burlington is proposing amendments the Burlington Official Plan, 2020 and Zoning By-law, 2020 that will apply City-wide regarding increasing housing options in Burlington’s urban area in accordance with Council Motion ADM-17-23 to: “Engage with the community to implement four units as-of-right and other actions identified in the Housing Strategy including implementing opportunities to increase the range of housing options available.”

The purpose of the proposed Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendments is to:

• Increase the number of Additional Residential Units (ARUs) permitted on a parcel of urban residential land from two to three in addition to the principal dwelling unit, applying to any land use designation that permits residential uses within the City of Burlington.

The proposed Official Plan Amendment will also apply City-wide to the Residential Neighbourhood Area and like-policies and will:

• Lay the foundation for increasing housing options in Burlington’s Residential Neighbourhood Area by amending its policies to remove density as a consideration and instead use built form and context as the focus for describing what is expected in the City’s neighbourhoods. The amendment will include review of the Neighbourhood Character Area policies and application to the Residential Neighbourhood Area policies.
• Support gentle intensification that considers the context and character of Burlington’s Residential Neighbourhood Areas while providing opportunities to increase the diversity of housing options to meet the needs of all.

You are invited to:

• Review the recommended Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment (available November 22, 2024)
• Review the Staff Report (available November 22, 2024)

The report will present proposed Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendments in order to get feedback, and will be available for public review on Friday, November 22, 2024. The report will be available on the City’s website at www.burlington.ca/calendar by searching for the meeting date for the Committee of the Whole. If you required a hard copy of the report, please email the Legislative Services at clearks@burlington.ca to arrange pick-up.

To speak at the Public Meeting, there are two options:

1. Pre-register to speak by noon the Friday before the meeting is to held. You can pre-register in one of the following ways:
   1. Complete the online delegation request form at www.burlington.ca/delegation;
   2. Submit a written request by email to Legislative Services at clerks@burlington.ca, or
   3. Phone 905-335-7600, ext. 7481

2. Register during the Public Meeting.

1. If you are attending the meeting virtually, you can register to speak by emailing clerks@burlington.ca, as noted in the ticker tape that will be scrolling along the bottom of the live stream webcast of the meeting with registration information.
2. If you are attending the meeting in person, you can register to speak during the meeting by following instructions provided at the meeting.

Speakers are limited to a maximum of 10 minutes each and are webcasted online. If you have presentation materials, they must be submitted to Legislative Services no later than noon, the Friday before the meeting to allow for their distribution and review by all members of the Committee. Please note the content of all submissions is considered public and will be posted on the City’s website.

The formal Notice of Statutory Public Meeting is available here.

Share your Written Comments:

Written comments about the draft Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments can be emailed or mailed to Jo-Anne Rudy, Committee Clerk at jo-anne.rudy@burlington.ca or PO Box 5023, 426 Brant St, Burlington, ON, L7R 3Z6. Written comments are to be submitted no later than noon on November 29, 2024.

We’re increasing Burlington's housing options in our neighbourhoods! We want to hear from you on four units as-of-right and other ways we can enable the range of housing options available.

Official Plan Amendment to Increase Housing Options - Public Open Houses:

• Virtual Public Open House – Thursday, Oct. 17, 7-9 p.m. on Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87130267048
• In-person Public Open House – Tuesday, Oct. 22, 7-9 p.m., Central Arena Auditorium
• In-person Public Open House – Thursday, Oct. 24, 7-9 p.m., Appleby Ice Centre Community Room 1
• Virtual Public Open House – Monday, Oct. 28, 7-9 p.m. on Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81492359254

Watch for the survey and mapping exercise Oct. 16 - 29

Official Plan Amendment to Increase Housing Options is at the Burlington Centre Lion’s Farmers Market on Friday Oct 11!

Come meet with a Planner to discuss the Official Plan Amendment to Increase Housing Options at the Burlington Centre Lion’s Farmers Market this Friday. We want to hear from you on four units as-of-right and other ways we can enable the range of housing options available.

• Burlington Centre Lion’s Farmers Market: 8am to 2pm

As part of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), Burlington is working on a housing-focused Community Improvement Plan (CIP). Staff are working with a consultant to deliver the CIP.

The CIP will work on three initiatives in the City’s Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan:

• Implementing Major Transit Station Areas and Community Planning Permit System.
• Support and encourage the creation of additional residential units and consider opportunities to increase as of right permissions. Burlington is proposing four units as of right and a no parking minimum pilot within a specific geographic area.
• Identify opportunities to incentivize the creation of rental and non-market housing.

The CIP will help with housing needs of our residents by incentivizing the creation of new rental housing and more affordable housing options, like:

• New units to meet HAF housing targets before December 2026:
  • Affordable housing
  • Additional Residential Units (i.e. Garden suites, secondary suites, garage conversions, detached modular)
  • Duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, row houses or courtyard housing
  • Low-rise apartments (4 storeys or less).
• Supportive housing
• Larger rental units in low to high-rise buildings (i.e. 3-bedroom units)
• Barrier-free units in low to high-rise buildings or Additional Residential Units

Community Improvement Plan incentives will help landowners increase the number of units on their properties. It will help developers increase the number of units in their projects. The CIP project aligns with the Official Plan Amendment to Increase Housing Options Study which will enable four units per residential lot, including additional residential units (ARUs).

What is a CIP?

A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a land use planning tool that allows municipalities like Burlington to provide grants and loans and other incentives to private landowners to help the City meet its housing goals. For example, the incentives can help to cover development costs for new affordable housing units.

Why is the City doing a CIP Study?

The CIP Study supports the City’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Action Plan. It identifies incentives to help create new rental housing and more affordable housing options. The CIP study will determine effective approaches, programs and tools and align with the City’s Housing Strategy, HAF Action Plan initiatives and the Burlington Official Plan, 2020. The study will look at best practices, market trends and emerging updates from the Province.

Why do we Need a Housing CIP?

We need more rental and affordable housing, and the CIP can make this happen.

Owning a home is not affordable for many Burlington residents. Only households with higher incomes can afford a home in Burlington unless they have a down payment greater than five per cent or spend more than 30 per cent of their income on housing costs. The City needs a wider range of housing options, including rentals. The 2021 Housing Needs and Opportunities Study showed that at least 200 rental units need to be added to Burlington each year.

How is the Study being funded?

The CIP Study is being funded by the Federal Government of Canada’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). The HAF will also provide funding for the financial incentive programs for the first two years of the program, until the end of 2027.

Work Program

The CIP Study is being done in three stages and will be done in 2025. There will be opportunities for you to give input and help shape the City’s first housing-focused CIP.

Get Involved! We want you to be part of the CIP Study! Stay tuned for upcoming engagement where you can share your thoughts, ideas and concerns.

Check out the poll questions tab on the page to give us some feedback!

Both the City’s Housing Strategy and Federal Housing Accelerator Fund application identified the need for the City to undertake the development of a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to support a wide range of housing objectives. Staff Report PL-56-24: Community Improvement Plan Study Draft Terms of Reference presents a terms of reference for Council endorsement. If endorsed, the City will expeditiously move forward to obtain consultant support to deliver this important initiative.

On July 8, the Committee of the Whole will consider the report and recommendation. The report can be found in the Agenda Meeting Package for the July 8th, 2024 Committee of the Whole. Those wishing to delegate can pre-register to speak as a delegate by Friday July 5, at noon. See the Council and Committees Calendar for further information.

City of Burlington Staff will present Staff Report PL-66-24: Official Plan Amendment to Increase Housing Options – Preferred Approach to the Committee of the Whole at the September 9, 2024 meeting. The Report and the Appendices, including the Background Report provide an overview of the project, background research and outlines the preferred approach to this work for Council’s consideration. The Staff Report and Appendices are now available online, and can be found in the Agenda Meeting Package for September 9, 2024 Committee of the Whole Meeting at http://www.burlington.ca/calendar.

We are working together to increase housing options in our neighbourhoods.

We need to keep talking about our community’s housing needs so we can carry out:

• Actions of the Housing Strategy;
  • Action 6 – Build upon the policies of the Official Plan, 2020 and the findings of the Housing Strategy Project to inform the Comprehensive Zoning By-law (CZBL) project, to assist in broadening the range and mix of housing in the City and to explore tools to streamline processes.
  • Action 7 – Support, permit, and encourage the development of alternate forms of housing, including higher density types of housing, where feasible and appropriate.
  • Action 11 - Encourage Additional Residential Units (ARUs) and consider a registry and monitoring program to evaluate the success of the framework and to make sure the ARUs meet health and safety standards.
• Council’s motion to go from three units as-of-right to four units as-of-right; and
• The creation of more housing at a faster pace, as part of the Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan.

This is just a part of what we need to do to meet our vision for housing in Burlington:

Everyone is welcome in Burlington. Burlington is a city where all current and future residents have access to the housing options that meet their needs at all stages of life, and that are attainable at all income levels.

This survey is the first of many opportunities for you to get involved in this project.

Please follow the link to the survey

The survey is available until June 14, 2024.

Today the Government of Canada and the City of Burlington announced a $21 million agreement to encourage more affordable homes for Burlington, built faster. Today’s announcement was attended by the Honourable Minister Karina Gould, MP for Oakville North – Burlington Pam Damoff, Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Deputy Mayor of Housing, Burlington Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte.

The funding is through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). HAF is an application-based program that provides funding directly to municipalities across the country to incentivize and support initiatives that will accelerate the supply of housing.

Action Plan for this investment in Burlington

These funds will support the implementation of some of the key actions in the City’s Housing Strategy, including expanding housing opportunities for Burlington residents by cutting red tape and implementing updated zoning.

As Burlington continues to grow, this significant investment will support the development of complete, low-carbon, and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse.

The City’s HAF Action Plan includes seven initiatives:

1. Streamlining planning and building approval process.
2. Implementing Major Transit Station Areas and Community Planning Permit System.
3. Support and encourage the creation of additional residential units and consider opportunities to increase as of right permissions. Burlington is proposing four units as of right and a no parking minimum pilot within a specific geographic area.
4. Identify opportunities to incentivize the creation of rental and non-market housing.
5. Build community and partner capacity by creating a Housing Connections Centre.
6. Public lands and partnerships.
7. Municipal infrastructure needs.

Quicker Approvals

One of the City’s proposed projects focuses around Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) and the development of a new tool, the Community Planning Permit System (CPPS). This will allow for quicker approvals on high-density developments without the need for re-zoning.

Housing Connections Centre

Another key initiative to support this Action Plan is the Housing Connections Centre. This centre will provide residents and developers resources like:

• standard unit designs
• ways to connect with partners,
• access to incentives, and
• information about
  • the benefits of diverse neighbourhoods and
  • how creating new housing can provide options for all Burlington residents

Quick Facts

The Housing Accelerator Fund helps cut red tape and fast track at least 100,000 new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous communities across the country. It asks for innovative action plans from local governments, and once approved, provides upfront funding to ensure the timely building of new homes, as well as additional funds upon delivering results. Every agreement under the Housing Accelerator Fund will require municipalities to end exclusionary zoning and encourage apartment building around public transit in order to help seniors, students, and families. Local governments are encouraged to think big and be bold in their approaches, which could include accelerating project timelines, allowing increased housing density, and encouraging affordable housing units