This Week | Thursday, March 10, 2022 durhamregion.com | 14 Re-think personal hygiene with the TOTO Washlet A refreshing, comfortable and hygienic way to cleanse. Increase healthful living with WASHLET® and reduce harmful environmental waste products. 1650 Dundas St. E.,Whitby (1 Block E. of Thickson Rd.) 905.404.1502 www.plumbingandparts.com Adorn your Home with Quality Windows and Doors 119 Consumers Drive, Whitby AdornHome.ca Made in Our Whitby Call us Today! 905-665-9565 Earlier this month the Province of Ontario released a task force report on how to deal with what has become a real estate crisis. The report reads like a textbook for a university accounting program, so to save you some time, I have highlighted some of the relevant points for you to quickly read over. The reason behind the report is simply this: Real estate prices have risen faster than incomes. In fact, home prices have jumped from $319,000 in Durhamfrom $319,000 in Durhamf Region in January 2012, to $1,175,000 as of last month. I don't think salaries have jumped over 300 per cent in the past decade, hence the need for some creativity. Here are some of the highlights: 1) Build 1.5 million homes over the next decade: Most of the land available for building isavailable for building isa zoned for single family homes. The suggestion is to alter the zoning in communities to allow higher density, meaning more accessory units, garden suites and multi-residential housing. 2) Create province-wide zoning standards for the creation of multi-residential projects: This would take the control away from municipalities, allowing for more developments. Al-for more developments. Al-f so, limit public consultation, when not required by the Planning Act, speeding up developments. 3) Cut red tape: Of the 35 OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, only the Slovak Republic has a process that takes longer for development. This needs no further discussion. 4) Preventing abuse of the appeal process. For $400, a person who is against a development can tie the process up for years. Currently there are over 1,000 appeals waiting to be heard by the Ontario Land Tribunal. Increase appeal fees to $10,000 and allow thefees to $10,000 and allow thef developer to recover costs from objectors.from objectors.f 5) Reduce the development costs for creating housing. Government charges on a single home (across several GTA communities) add up to $183,300. This cost is never seen by a buyer of a home, as it gets buried into the purchase price. 6) Deal with NIMBY-ism (Not In My Backyard). The task force identified homeowners in established areas objecting to developments that will be "out of character" with their areas. This can be seen at the public consultation stages or through appeals. Local politicians, who are elected on a rotating cycle, tend to represent these objectors as they are their future voting constituents. The report is long and filled with many in-depthfilled with many in-depth ideas on how the province can deal with the housing crisis we find ourselves in. We do not have a shortage ofWe do not have a shortage ofW land. We, over decades, have created a process of development that is slow-moving, costly and impacted by too many voices who will object to much of what is planned for development.for development.f This report is a blue- print for how we can restore a sense of balance that will allow our kids to own their own homes. To have the same amount of homes and rental units as the average of the other countries in the G7, Ontario needs to build 1.5 million units. Let that sink in. The report can be found by googling Report of the Ontario Housing Task Force. Lindsay Smith is with Keller Williams Energy Brokerage and has been a Durham real estate broker for 36 years. He lives in Oshawa and can be reached at lindsay@buyselllove.ca. 'CREATIVITY' NEEDED TO SOLVE HOUSING CRISIS: REALTOR OPINION TASK FORCE REPORT SUGGESTS LIMITING PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON HOUSING PROJECTS, REDUCE MUNICIPALITY CONTROL LINDSAY SMITH Column A STRONGER VOICE We recognize that diversity is the strength of our communities and we are inviting you to share your voice in our publications. DURHAMREGION.COM/COMMUNITYDIVERSITY