durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, December 15, 2023 | | 12 Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy said a provincial bill meant to stimulate housing growth may mean a massive tax increase for existing residents as a reduction in development charges means growth won't pay for growth. Roy said she was disappointed that the government rushed through Bill 23 -- aimed at spurring the construction of 1.5 million homes in Ontario in the next decade -- without further consulting with municipalities. "The intent of the legislation is to introduce housing and to support the housing needs which have been identified, which is not only an Ontario crisis but a national crisis," she said. "But what it doesn't put out there ... is the impacts it's going to have on our ratepayers." Roy said Whitby is estimated to lose $34 million per year in development charges as a result of changes in legislation. "$1 million equates to one per cent of our tax base, so if we're going to move forward with growth and growth to the number they want us to grow by, that's approximately 30 per cent on our tax increase." The development charges reserves are generally used to pay for new infrastructure needed by the new homes and communities. "So it's the building of your parks, the building of your community centres, it's the building of your libraries, it's to support your infrastructure from your roads, to your water, to your sewer." The province is asking Whitby to add 18,000 new homes in the next decade. "If we're going to grow by 18,000, we also need the emergency services supports and we know where we stand with that right now where we're already behind but there's been no indication of dollars to support all these amenities for the future growth of our community." Roy said wherever possible, Whitby already works with developers looking to build affordable housing and provides support at the local and the regional level. It's also unclear if the savings for developers in development charges will be passed on to home-buyers or renters. "There's nothing in this legislation to say to the developer you cannot charge, it's an open market. It allows for the development community to sell a house at market value." The mayor said Whitby can accommodate the growth targets created by the province even without additional incentives. "We currently have 8,000 homes approved to be built," she said. As for the already approved homes, a slowing housing market means developers are inclined to wait until prices rise again before getting shovels in the ground. Bill 23, said Roy, doesn't address that issue. "They could have been built yesterday, they are not being built, the building permits are not being pulled. When I sat down with our other mayors from across the other municipalities, we all have development that can be built today." An additional 10,000 homes can be built, primarily in Brooklin, in areas already designated to be built out. Roy is also concerned about the impact on conservation authorities being able to protect sensitive lands. Though there are Greenbelt areas in Whitby, so far areas in Whitby have not been identified for development as they have in other communities. Roy said she's not unsympathetic to those who are struggling to get into an expensive housing market. "I have a 28-year-old who still lives at home and she shares her frustration about the inability to be able to afford a home and to live in the community where she grew up and we were driving together and she said 'Mum, I can't afford to live here and it's very disappointing, I don't think I'll even be able to afford a home.'" HOUSING PLAN COULD RESULT IN 30% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REKA SZEKELY rszekely@ durhamregion.com NEWS Whitby mayor Elizabeth Roy says new provincial legislation means Whitby will miss out on development charges needed to build infrastructure like libraries, community centres and emergency services for new residents. Metroland file photo The firefighters at Whitby Fire and Emergency Services want everyone to enjoy their holiday season safely and have come up with a list of fire safety tips. "The safety of our residents is the top priority for Whitby Fire, and we wanted to remind residents to keep fire safety in mind while they celebrate the holidays," said Marc Bonin, chief fire prevention officer for Whitby Fire. "The holidays are supposed to be a joyful time, but with the gatherings and the holiday season, we see an increase in fire risk, so we want to avoid (residents) being holiday statistics and keep their families safe by following simple tips." THE BIGGEST RISKS The biggest fire risks, exacerbated by the holidays, is unattended cooking and careless smoking, said Bonin. "We really need people to stay in the kitchen while they're cooking; don't get distracted and leave pots on the stove." When it comes to smoking, whether it's indoors or outdoors, residents should use deep ashtrays and fully extinguish their cigarettes. CHRISTMAS TREE TIPS Bonin reminds residents that natural Christmas trees are thirsty and can drink up to four litres of water per day. Pick a tree stand that can hold plenty of water and check it daily, making sure it's topped off. Christmas lights should be inspected every year before using them to ensure they're not frayed or worn out and if they're old, they should be replaced. KEEP AN EYE ON CANDLES Be careful with candles. If they're being used, place them in a sturdy holder to make sure they can't be tipped over and keep them away from anything that can burn. Always blow them out before leaving the room. Never use real candles on the Christmas tree. Instead, opt for flameless candles to get that traditional look. BE PREPARED In case of a fire, prepare a home escape plan with at least two exits from the home. If a fire does occur, get out and immediately call 911. At all times of the year, have working smoke alarms. "The one common denominator for many fire fatalities in the province is a lack of working smoke alarms. Make sure you have them on every story of the home and you test them monthly." For more fire safety tips, follow @WhitbyFire on Twitter for more safety tips from Dec. 12 to Dec. 23. KEEP THE HOLIDAYS SAFE WITH THESE TIPS FROM WHITBY FIRE REKA SZEKELY rszekely@ durhamregion.com Follow Whitby Fire and Emergency Services on Twitter @WhitbyFire for a full slate of holiday safety tips. Metroland file photo