Council Unanimously Votes to Support Allowing Four-Unit Residential Properties in Burlington

Housing
Written By

ADMINISTRATOR'S NOTE: Mayor Meed Ward and Deputy Mayor for Housing Councillor Stolte sent a joint letter to the federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure & Communities, the Hon. Sean Fraser on Oct. 23, 2023.Today, Burlington City Council unanimously signalled our support to allow four units as-of-right on any residential property. The motion was brought forward at today's City Council meeting from Deputy Mayor for Housing Councillor Shawna Stolte and Councillor Rory Nisan.This is key to adding much-needed housing in our community in a gentle way that doesn't have to change the look and feel of an existing neighbourhood. Additionally, the federal government has made it clear that allowing for these units is a condition to receive funding under the Housing Accelerator Fund. We have an application for more than $40 million under the fund that would potentially be put at-risk if we don’t move forward with allowing these types of units.I want to thank our Deputy Mayor of Housing Councillor Shawna Stolte and Councillor Rory Nisan for bringing this motion forward to today's Council meeting, and all my Council colleagues for unanimously approving it. We will create a made-in Burlington solution to accommodate these units in an appropriate way in our city, with consultation with residents, and staff will report back on how to incorporate this into our bylaws.View a copy of the full memo motion below or here: ADM-17-23 Motion memo regarding Consideration of Four Units as-of-right

  • Whereas all parts of Canada, including Burlington are in the midst of a housing crisis; and
  • Whereas on June 21, 2022, Burlington City Council unanimously approved the City’s first ever Housing Strategy that set out 12 key actions to drive to the overall Vision for Housing in Burlington; and
  • Whereas the Housing Strategy emphasizes the City of Burlington’s role and opportunity to address “missing middle” from both the perspective of having housing options that are affordable/attainable for middle-income households and for the opportunity to diversify the spectrum of housing types and tenures; and
  • Whereas City Council responded to the Provincially assigned aspirational housing pledge target of 29,000 units by 2031, by unanimously supporting the City’s Housing Pledge which includes the policies, plans and actions that demonstrate how the City of Burlington will fulfill our commitment to the pledge; and
  • Whereas through the Housing Pledge the City has confirmed that directing growth within the existing urban boundary set out in ROPA 49 will protect Burlington’s critically important agricultural and natural heritage systems while still allowing the City to meet all population and employment growth objectives and targets including the housing pledge; and
  • Whereas given that the City of Burlington has limited greenfield areas it is ever more critical to acknowledge that development is more complicated and there is a pressing need to support sensitive infill and redevelopment opportunities appropriate to the City’s context; and
  • Whereas background research undertaken through the Housing Strategy indicates that Burlington residents do not feel there is enough diversity or options for ownership housing in the City to meet residents’ needs throughout their lifecycle; and
  • Whereas the Burlington City Council has demonstrated a shared commitment with partners to turn the City’s unprecedented development pipeline of 38,219 units into permits, through the creation of a new proposed Pipeline to Permit Housing Standing Committee; and
  • Whereas the Federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities has required municipalities such as London, Vaughan, and Calgary to allow four units as-of-right, as a condition of approval of their Housing Accelerator Fund applications; and
  • Whereas on August 18, 2023, the City of Burlington submitted its application to the Housing Accelerator Fund, for approximately $40,000,000 and its approval is expected to be contingent on allowing four units as-of-right, as seen in requests to all other municipalities with accepted applications; and
  • Therefore, be it resolved that; Burlington City Council declare its intention to allow four units as-of-right; and
  • That staff be directed to engage with the community to implement four units as-of-right and the other actions identified in the Housing Strategy including implementing opportunities to increase the range of housing options available; and further,
  • That a copy of this motion be sent to The Honourable Sean Fraser Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities; The Honourable Karina Gould, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and MP Burlington, Pam Damoff, MP Oakville North-Burlington, Adam van Koeverden, MP Milton, The Honourable Paul Calandra Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, The Honourable Parm Gill, Minister of Red Tape Reduction and MPP Milton, Natalie Pierre, MPP Burlington, and Effie Triantafilopoulos, MPP Oakville North-Burlington.

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