Ontario Helping to Create More Than 1,000 New Student Housing Spaces in London

Dedicated student residences easing housing pressures in local communities

The Voice of Chandigarh:

The Ontario government’s efforts to cut red tape through the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024 is helping build more new student housing faster to address their specific housing needs while freeing up affordable homes for individuals and families in the City of London.

Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, made the announcement today while visiting Western University, where two new residences to house more than 1,000 students will be built.

“Access to safe and affordable housing is crucial to the success of all postsecondary students,” said Minister Calandra. “For too long in Ontario, red tape was making it difficult for our partners to build homes. That’s why our government has been taking action to remove those barriers and make it easier to build housing of all types, including student accommodation. Today’s announcement is a testament to our government’s focus to unleash opportunity across our province.”

Ontario has exempted publicly assisted universities from the Planning Act to enable these institutions to build more student housing faster and better meet the needs of their student populations. These universities, like publicly assisted colleges, are no longer subject to many municipal planning approvals, which can save years in approvals, avoid planning application fees, and remove barriers to building higher density student residences.

Along with these changes, all publicly assisted colleges and universities are now required to publish student housing policies to improve information and provide resources for students seeking housing options.

The Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024 focuses on cutting red tape where it’s needed most: building homes. Cumbersome red tape is one of the biggest barriers to getting shovels in the ground and the legislation takes significant action to streamline approvals and increase housing and infrastructure development across Ontario.

Quick Facts

• Student housing demand is diverse and consists of on-campus traditional dormitories as well as other types of housing, including apartments and townhouses for upper-year students, graduate students and faculty and their families both on- and off-campus.
• Postsecondary institutions are important sources of job creation, skills training, research, innovation and commercialization, making them leading contributors to Ontario’s overall economic growth. Every dollar invested in postsecondary education generates a positive economic return on investment estimated at $1.36.
• There have been 36,369 housing starts year-to-date in 2024; this is 17 per cent above the year-to-date average of around 31,200 starts per year in the last decade (2010-2019).
• The Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act helps municipalities and other partners by letting homebuyers and homebuilders decide on the number of parking spaces in new residential developments near transit; prioritizing infrastructure for residential projects that are ready to go; limiting third-party appeals to the Ontario Land Tribunal; and supporting standardized designs, including for modular homes. The province is also supporting innovative construction methods, such as mass timber, through upcoming changes to the Building Code.

Quotes

“Ontario is doing its part to help universities like Western get shovels in the ground to build safe and affordable student rental accommodations. These measures will also ensure all postsecondary students are aware of student housing options available that are safe, affordable and within an easy commute to campus.”

• Jill Dunlop
  Minister of Colleges and Universities

“Safe, reliable and supportive environments are critical to student success and that’s why this is a primary focus at Western. As the largest student residence program in Ontario, now growing by a further 1,000 beds, we support the efforts of the Government of Ontario to help universities deploy more student housing units sooner.”

• Lynn Logan
  Vice-President (Operations and Finance), Western University

“London is committed to fostering an environment where students can thrive academically and personally. This investment is a significant step forward in both regards, ensuring we can deliver more student housing quickly and efficiently. This initiative not only addresses immediate needs but also strengthens our broader housing strategy by freeing up affordable homes for families and individuals in our city.”

• Josh Morgan
  Mayor, City of London