real estate

Saturday June 17, 2023

Illustration by Graeme MacKay, The Toronto Star – Saturday June 17, 2023

Toronto Mayoral By-Election Puts Housing Issue in the Spotlight

June 7, 2023

With less than a week remaining until Toronto’s mayoral by-election, the city is buzzing with anticipation as front-runners Olivia Chow, Josh Matlow, Brad Bradford, Ana Bailão, Mitzie Hunter, and Mark Saunders vie for the top position. Housing, a key issue that dominated the previous election in October, continues to take centre stage, with candidates wasting no time in presenting fresh solutions to address Toronto’s chronic housing problems.

In her campaign launched in mid-April, Olivia Chow, a former city councillor, member of parliament, and school board trustee, has maintained a solid lead in early polling. Chow champions a renter-centric platform, emphasizing the importance of providing every citizen with a roof over their heads. She proposes raising the Vacant Home Tax to 3% and using the funds collected to construct affordable and subsidized units alongside condominiums throughout the city. Additionally, Chow aims to expand Toronto’s rent bank to assist 5,500 people annually and significantly enhance the Eviction Prevention in the Community program.

Analysis: Toronto election reality check: What the top candidates would do about the housing crisis — and what the experts say  

May 12, 2023

Chow’s initiatives also include establishing a Toronto Renters Action Committee to advocate for antirenoviction bylaws, real rent control, and the evaluation of existing renter-related policies and programs. She plans to build 25,000 rent-controlled homes, including 7,500 affordable units and 2,500 rent-geared-to-income units, over the next eight years on City-owned land. Moreover, Chow expresses support for increased density along main streets and transit corridors.

Josh Matlow, the current City Councillor for Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul, launched his campaign in March with a controversial proposal to raise property taxes by 2%. He intends to allocate these additional funds to a new City Works Fund, which will keep warming centres open and address infrastructure maintenance. Matlow also suggests the creation of Public Build Toronto to generate 8,250 rent-controlled market apartments and 6,750 affordable apartments, including 750 deeply affordable units for low-income individuals. He supports adding up to three rental units to existing homes and approving nine-storey buildings as-of-right on designated avenues, accompanied by a dedicated team to expedite applications and prioritize affordable housing.

Printed on the cover of The Toronto Star

Brad Bradford, the current City Councillor for Ward 19, Beaches-East York, and Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee, aims to streamline approvals, reduce red tape, and tap into “missing middle” housing to increase affordable housing stock. He proposes ramping up adaptive reuse and implementing as-of-right approvals for office conversions to expedite the rezoning process. Bradford pledges to accelerate the Housing Now initiative, constructing housing on City-owned land with one-third dedicated to affordability. He commits to keeping property taxes at or below the rate of inflation, recognizing the financial challenges faced by families in the current cost-of-living crisis.

Ana Bailão, a long-time affordable housing advocate and former Deputy Mayor, unveiled her candidacy in March with a plan to improve city services, build housing, and enhance affordability. Her $48.5M housing plan includes constructing 285,000 homes by 2031, with 20% dedicated to purpose-built rentals. Bailão proposes modular supportive homes for the homeless, rental assistance for individuals escaping domestic violence, and a freeze on new development proposals threatening rental apartment buildings. She emphasizes the need for planning regulation and zoning reforms to accommodate “missing middle” housing.

News: Toronto mayoral candidates spar in chaotic debate less than two weeks before by-election  

May 28, 2022

Mitzie Hunter, formerly the Chief Administrative Officer of Toronto Housing and Head of CivicAction, presents a five-point plan focused on delivering new affordable housing quickly. Her proposals involve unlocking public lands for affordable housing, encouraging multiplex housing, adding rental apartments near campuses, expediting building approvals and construction, and implementing renter protection programs. Hunter plans to establish the City Affordable Housing Corporation, aiming to deliver nearly 22,700 units, two-thirds of which will be rented at below-market rates. She also supports building “missing middle” housing in various neighbourhoods.

Mark Saunders, the former Chief of Police, pledges to expedite residential construction approval processes, aiming to reduce approval times to one year. He suggests introducing a project tracking system to enhance accountability and digitizing the planning and approvals system. Saunders emphasizes the need to overcome barriers at City Hall to achieve the 10-year goal of 40,000 new affordable housing units. He supports the Toronto Community Housing model and incentivizing the conversion of underused commercial buildings into shelters or supportive housing. Saunders also proposes a federal grant program to cover the costs of building purpose-built rental projects.

October 25, 2022

In a recent survey conducted by The Forum Poll™ among 1,047 Toronto residents, Olivia Chow leads the race with 35% support, although her lead slipped by 3% over the past week. Mark Saunders follows with 14%, while Anthony Furey (11%) and Ana Bailao (10%) have overtaken Josh Matlow (9%). The poll highlights housing affordability as the most crucial issue in the mayoral election, resonating with 27% of respondents, closely followed by concerns about the cost of living and inflation at 21%.

As the election date draws near, the race remains dynamic, with Furey and Bailao potentially shaking up the standings. With just a few days remaining, the outcome of the election holds the potential for a surprise upset. (AI)

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro. If you’re creative, give illustration a try:

Tuesday May 9, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday May 9, 2023

Ontario’s Greenbelt: A Crown Jewel Under Threat

March 23, 2023

Doug Ford’s ties to Greenbelt developers have been in the spotlight for months, but the actual land that will be lost is often overlooked. About 5,000 acres of prime farmland in Pickering, part of the world’s largest Greenbelt, are expected to be paved over for housing. Victor Doyle, the planner who designed the original Greenbelt map, emphasizes that this area should be preserved, as it not only offers excellent farmland but also supports and protects the adjacent Rouge National Park. Doyle warns that putting housing here will contaminate the watershed that flows into Lake Ontario and harm local wildlife.

February 16, 2023

Premier Doug Ford’s government has claimed that whatever land is taken from the Greenbelt will be added elsewhere, but Green Party leader Mike Schreiner argues that only five percent of Ontario’s land mass is suitable for growing food. The government has set a deadline for developers, with housing approvals required to be in progress by the end of this year and shovels in the ground by 2025, or the land goes back to the province. The province is also planning on building Highway 413, cutting through farmland and conservation land.

November 9, 2022

While Ford has claimed that his government has added to the Greenbelt in a land swap to make up for the planned development, much of it is in already protected river valleys, according to Doyle. This small, finite, and fragile landscape is threatened by urbanization, and Doyle emphasizes the need to think hundreds of years into the future and manage this landscape better. The Greenbelt was created almost 20 years ago to protect the environment from urban sprawl, and it is important to ensure that it is not slowly destroyed by “death by a thousand cuts.” (AI)

 

Saturday January 28, 2023

January 28, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday January 28, 2023

Developers who bought Ontario Greenbelt land linked to Ford government

YDF Merch

Since Ontario Premier Doug Ford was first elected four years ago, developers have paid tens of millions of dollars for a number of properties that include protected lands the province is now proposing to carve out of the Greenbelt.

Among those properties is a substantial piece of land lying largely in the Greenbelt that sold for $80-million in September, just weeks before the government revealed its new plan.

During the 2018 election campaign, Mr. Ford promised not to touch the Greenbelt – a vast arc of farmland, forests and wetlands across Southern Ontario. The pledge followed public uproar over a video that showed him saying he would allow housing development on a “big chunk” of the protected area. Again, in late 2020, he made a similar promise.

May 3, 2018

The Ford government reversed itself in November, announcing plans to remove 7,400 acres from the Greenbelt for the construction of at least 50,000 new homes. At the same time, land elsewhere would be added to the Greenbelt that, the government says, would result in a net increase of 2,000 acres.

The proposal to open up the Greenbelt to development has sparked protest from environmentalists, agriculture advocates and land-use experts, who argue that swapping one piece for another may be ineffective, because land has different environmental values, and that this also paves the way for other developers to push for their properties to be removed from the Greenbelt.

The proposed carve-outs of 15 areas of land include at least nine properties that were bought by developers for $10-million or more – transactions that topped $300-million in total – since the Progressive Conservatives took office in 2018, property records show.

November 23, 2022

At least four developers who bought the properties the government is now proposing to remove from the Greenbelt have either donated to the PC Party, hired conservative lobbyists, or both.

The government defended the decision to open up parcels of Greenbelt land to development but did not address questions related to the developers.

Among the sales in the Greenbelt parcels up for potential development, the most recent occurred in mid-September, about six weeks before the government’s announcement.

On Sept. 15, a company controlled by developer Michael Rice bought the 280-hectare property in the Township of King for $80-million. The real estate agent who sold the property promoted it as a “prime land-banking opportunity,” referring to the practice of holding undeveloped land for future opportunities.

The property had previously traded hands in 2000 – before the Greenbelt protections were put in place – for about $9.3-million.

October 27, 2011

Mr. Rice’s development company, Rice Group, hired Frank Klees, a former Ontario PC cabinet minister, between 2019-20 to lobby the government “on the economic development opportunities represented by a number of the client’s emerging projects,” the lobbyist registry says. The contract predated Mr. Rice’s purchase of the land in King Township. Mr. Klees did not return an e-mail seeking comment.

In addition, provincial records also show that a person with the name Michael Rice has donated more than $10,500 to the PC Party since 2018. This individual also donated money to the Liberals in 2018. As well, three donors with the same names as Rice Group executives have given the PC Party thousands of dollars since 2018.

Mr. Rice did not respond to e-mails requesting comment. (The Globe and Mail) 

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro …

 

Wednesday November 9, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 9, 2022

Pushing back against Doug Ford’s heavy hand

October 22, 2022

Premier Doug Ford and his government backed down dramatically on their unconstitutional dealings with education unions, specifically, CUPE. Is there any chance Ford will similarly back down on his government’s decision to override the will of Hamilton city council to freeze the city’s urban boundary?

It would be nice to argue yes, but it would also be fanciful. Ford didn’t back down from the education fight for any ethical or moral reason. It wasn’t because he wanted to keep kids in schools or wanted a fair deal for Ontario’s lowest paid education workers.

Rather, he backed down entirely out of fear. He saw the public opinion polling that showed most Ontarians blamed his government for the standoff, not the union. He heard the threats of wider-spread job action in support of CUPE. Faced with a protracted labour war, recognizing that the optics don’t favour his government, Ford did a dramatic reversal.

December 11, 2018

Good for CUPE and other unions lined up in support. But the grim reality is Hamilton city council does not have a similarly big stick. Municipalities are creatures of the province, and there is no real appeal of a decision taken directly by Queen’s Park and dropped on a local government.

Nor is there much people can do when a government so blatantly reverses itself on environmental policy, which it did last Friday with the decision to allow development on Greenbelt lands.

Four years ago, Ford said: “The people have spoken. I’m going to listen to them, they don’t want me to touch the Greenbelt, we won’t touch the Greenbelt.”

May 12, 2022

That was after he was recorded telling development friends that he would free up Greenbelt land so they could build more urban sprawl. His response was that now historic promise, which now lies in pieces on the ground.

The plan is to take 15 pieces of Greenbelt land, totalling 7,400 acres, and make them available for development in places like Hamilton, Toronto, Grimsby, Pickering and Ajax. But it’s all good, says the government, because we will add another 9,400 acres back in from somewhere else.

What many people don’t yet know is that most of that replacement land, river valleys and the like, is already covered under other environmental protection policies. So it can’t be developed anyway, and the net environmental impact will be more development and on previously protected lands.

November 12, 2021

That’s the sort of sleight of hand practised by Ford and friends. And up against it, there’s a limit to what a local government, like Hamilton’s, can do.

That doesn’t mean city council shouldn’t try, only that our expectations should be tempered. Re-elected Coun. John-Paul Danko put it this way to Spec journalists: “I think we need to turn over every stone, as it were, to find ways to resist this kind of growth that is not in the best interest of our city.”

An example, cited by Danko, could be delaying servicing previously protected lands with essential infrastructure. You can’t build houses where there are no roads and sewers. Another tactic might be expediting intensification in existing neighbourhoods, suggested Environmental Defence lawyer Phil Pothen.

These and other ideas are worth exploring, and will challenge our new city council. But based on the overall reaction to the province’s stomping all over local democracy, they are worth discussing and implementing where it makes sense. The good news is that we’re hardly alone as other municipalities are also feeling betrayed and will be weighing their options.

November 13, 2020

Given that, it makes sense for municipalities of a similar mind to come together, perhaps under the auspices of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). Individually, there might be little they can do to slow down the government’s “pave paradise” mentality. But collectively, who knows?

What is the alternative? Roll over and accept the government’s ideologically-driven development agenda? Allow conservation and wetland protection to suffer as conservation authorities are neutered? Watch farmland disappear under expensive urban sprawl, which ultimately costs local taxpayers because greenfield development doesn’t pay for itself? Those options are even more unappealing. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro … These sped up clips are posted to encourage others to be creative, to take advantage of the technology many of us already have and to use it to produce satire. Comfort the afflicted. Afflict the comforted.

 

Friday August 12, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday August 12, 2022

Cooler market helps housing consumers

You may have noticed the house around the corner with the For Sale sign planted on its lawn.

You may have noticed that the house didn’t sell in its first week on the market. Or week two. Three weeks have now passed, and there it still sits. Is it just because it’s summer? Or is it something else? It’s something else.

January 27, 2022

The correction in the housing market has arrived, as the latest numbers released by various housing groups show. The slowdown is more rapid and dramatic than most predicted. Days on the market are growing; active listings are up.

The most recent housing market forecast from the Royal Bank is predicting a national slump in resales outpacing previous peak-to-trough declines, as the bank phrases it, comparing its predictions of what lies ahead to, say, 1981-’82, or 2008-’09.

As the slowdown in the national housing market gained momentum last month, the average selling price of a home touched $665,850 — a decline of almost 20 per cent since February. Average selling prices have declined each month since February 2022, and are down by 1.8 per cent compared to what they were a year ago.