City of London continues to work toward a goal of 47,000 residential units by 2031

Progress on incentivising residential construction The City of London continues to make headway in increasing the generation of new residential units in the city, CTV's Gerry Dewan reports.

It's long been the thorn in the side of developers and builders: city staff will ask for a revision on a planning application, and when the application is re-submitted other issues are identified that weren't a concern the first time around.

London Deputy City Manager Scott Mathers outlined the issue at Planning and Environment Committee meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, "I call that the moving-the-finishing-line effect. So, you start with somewhere, there's three comments and they come back and then you keep adding. That's not something that's fair to anyone."

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis sits on the Planning and Environment Committee and said that it's been an issue for many years, and it comes at a cost, "That has an impact on affordability of things, too. And, so, the more that we can streamline and get things through one and done, the less cost is built into the project as well. It helps close that affordability gap a little bit, but it also helps get shovels in the ground faster."

The city used one time funding from the province to improve the process, including purchasing new hardware and software. Mathers said the city has had a dramatic turnover in Planning Department staff and there are now a lot of junior members. That makes it even more important that every application will be tracked to ensure the information flow is tracked properly, "We now have somebody that has been tasked with to with developing those processes and procedures to ensure that we have consistency."

The other issue the city has grappled with is ensuring developers follow through with construction plans. The province has promoted a use-it-or-lose-it approach, but councillor Corrine Rahman said that there are really no mechanisms to compel developers to build, "I just think there is a false dialogue going on that we have more tools now under bill 23 and 185 but, ultimately, this is not something that I see is giving us a lot of ability to spur construction."

City staff produced a report indicating that up to 51 per cent of approved units appear to have gone inactive. Committee Chair Steve Lehman believes the report can be used to spark conversations that will get things back on track, "I think this would help identify maybe some potential areas that are might be getting off the rails."

Back in March, the city pledged to meet the Ministry of Municipal Affairs goal of 47,000 residential units by 2031. To this point the city has achieved 9.4 per cent of that target.

Still, Lewis believes building projects will be accelerated, "It is all hands rowing in the same direction in what, I would say, is the first time in a long time."