Ontario’s residential construction sector is optimistic about new legislation to tackle the province’s housing crisis by cutting costs and delays.
The Protecting Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, announced Monday by Housing Minister Rob Flack, targets two major barriers to new home construction: development charges and permitting delays.
Scott Andison, CEO of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA), represented the industry at the announcement in Toronto.
“We need all hands on deck to tackle the housing crisis,” Andison said. “This legislation is a strong step towards boosting supply, restoring affordability, and protecting jobs in the residential construction sector.”
The OHBA says government fees and taxes account for up to 35 per cent of a new home’s cost, with development charges making up about half. In the Greater Toronto Area, those charges have risen 176 per cent since 2011-now the highest in North America.
Andison said the bill reflects months of consultation with builders and that the government listened to data-driven evidence from the industry.
The legislation also proposes streamlining the permitting process by standardising how local roads are planned and built across Ontario’s 444 municipalities. That, builders say, would reduce delays that add thousands of dollars a day to construction costs.
“The province’s current housing framework is failing average families,” said OHBA Vice President Kirstin Jensen. “This legislation is a necessary step toward restoring attainable housing.”
The OHBA says it will issue a full release to members after the bill is tabled in the legislature.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)