Fees for developers slashed in half under new Mississauga building plan

Mississauga is looking to cut development fees by 50 per cent or more to encourage the building of more homes.

A motion that will be presented at a committee meeting tomorrow (Jan. 29) by Mayor Carolyn Parrish asks that the reduction of development charges collected from builders be reduced by half for all residential housing.

Further, the mayor wants to eliminate all fees from builders for projects that commit to three-bedroom units in rental residential apartment developments.

Development charges are payments made by builders to municipalities when properties are built. They are used to help pay for the infrastructure needed to support the new structures and those who live in them. The money can go to such things are roads, water supply and parks.

During an unrelated press conference today, Parrish said she also wants to delay the collection of the fees from developers until occupancy begins.

She said the goal of the fee reduction is to encourage developers to build more housing.

“This is making sure that families are going to come to Mississauga, it’s also making sure that investors — the few that are still out there — we’re going to pull them all into Mississauga,” she said.

The mayor didn’t comment on how the reduced fees will impact the infrastructure needs that will come when the new housing is complete and residents start to move in.

The mayor’s plan still has to be approved by city council but the mayor spoke as if the program is a done deal.

The motions are also part of a greater list of initiatives planned to encourage development in Mississauga.

Called the Mayor’s Housing Task Force, the initiatives outline 30 actions “to help kickstart development” to help get homes built more quickly and affordably.