Ontario Reducing Red Tape and Accelerating Sales of Surplus Government Property
Saving Taxpayer Dollars, Identifying Opportunities for Affordable Housing and Long-Term Care Spaces
The Voice of Canada News:
Ontario’s Government for the People announced a more efficient process for selling surplus government properties. The improved plan will reduce red tape, create more affordable housing and long-term care spaces and put more money in people’s pockets.
“Ontario currently has hundreds of vacant surplus properties across the province, costing the government millions of tax dollars a year to maintain,” said Bill Walker, Minister of Government and Consumer Services. “Our plan is about working harder, smarter and more efficiently so we can reduce costs, generate much needed revenue and make life better for the people of Ontario.”
Announcement also reinforced the government’s support for some of the province’s most vulnerable. The new plan will more easily identify which properties could be used for affordable housing and long-term care projects. Additional government departments and levels of government can also benefit from reduced red tape so that identified properties can be efficiently put back to productive use in communities across Ontario.
“Our government is committed to creating more affordable housing and long-term care spaces and through this new process we will identify suitable properties to help us deliver on this commitment,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “By putting properties back into productive use, our plan will also help local communities across the province see benefits in economic development and jobs.”
QUICK FACTS
Reducing red tape and accelerating sales of surplus government properties will:
Put 243 properties — approximately 14,600 acres — back into productive use over four years Generate roughly $105 to $135 million in net revenue for government over four years Save taxpayers’ money by reducing liabilities and ongoing maintenance costs on vacant properties Deliver an annual cost savings and liability reduction of almost $9.6 million Remove an estimated 150 days of administrative time.
