Insiders dish on secret mandate letters
Plus: Mixed reaction to the big housing plan, 'dictator' debate reaches Queen's Park, the other six-million dollar man, a legislative veteran hangs up his hat
ABOVE THE FOLD
HOUSING BREAKDOWN — People are seriously hating on the Ford government’s four-year plan to address the housing crisis, which according to critics, leaves much to be desired.
What’s in it: The first phase of the package, unveiled in Housing Minister STEVE CLARK’s More Homes For Everyone Act, includes expediting development by imposing strict deadlines on municipalities to approve plans, or they will be forced to refund the developer’s site-plan and rezoning application fees.
MZO 2.0: In the wake of their prolific use of Minister’s Zoning Orders — and the ensuing negative headlines — the PCs debuted an alternative tool to speed up approvals: the Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator, which would require local councils to consult with the public and pass resolutions clearly indicating the municipality wants to build a certain project. The minister of the day would be able to impose conditions so that projects are delivered in a “t…