Clarington Mayor says Bill 23 will lead to a “reduced quality of life”

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Published December 12, 2022 at 4:53 pm

Clarington Mayor Adrian’s Foster’s response to the Provincial Government’s passing of Bill 23 – the More Homes Built Faster Act – is short and sweet: the legislation puts Clarington and its taxpayers in a “challenging” position.

The Bill, and in particular the changes made to how much municipalities can charge developers for construction projects, will have a “significant” impact on how Clarington pays for costs associated with future growth, Foster said.

“With a limited ability to raise funds for critical projects, we find ourselves in a challenging position. We cannot expect residents to embrace passing these costs onto their local tax bill, nor can we expect them to accept cuts to programs and services that will lead to a reduced quality of life in Clarington.”

Local MPPs have offered to meet with Clarington officials to ensure there is a “mutual understanding” of those impacts,” he added. “We need to ensure that our advocacy leads to the changes required so that we can continue to deliver the services residents deserve and expect.”

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario believes the legislation will cost Ontario municipalities $1 billion in lost revenue.

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