The Ontario government will extend so-called "strong mayor" powers to almost two dozen smaller cities and is launching a $1.2 billion fund to reward municipalities that meet provincially-mandated home-building targets, Premier Doug Ford said Monday.
Speaking at the annual conference of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Ford said the measures will help towns and cities meet the province's goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031 to address the housing shortage, affordability crisis and rapid population growth driven by immigration.
"This struggle is being felt most by young people and newcomers, who are priced out of the dream of home ownership," Ford told representatives of the province's 444 municipalities gathered in London, Ont.
"Failing to act would worsen the housing supply affordability crisis. Failing to act would threaten to erode Canadians' unwavering support for immigration at a time when our economic success depends on welcoming skilled newcomers to fill critical labour gaps."
His remarks come just a week and a half after his government faced intense criticism over its handling of the decision to open up parts of the protected Greenbelt for housing, a decision for which Ford cited the same rationale.