Ford government outlines further overhaul of housing sector in throne speech [Video]

The Ford government is preparing to usher in more changes to how housing is planned and built in Ontario and is exploring ways to standardize and reduce the fees paid by developers.

Lowering development charges was one of a number of new promises outlined by the government in its speech from the throne on Tuesday.

The third-term Progressive Conservative administration said it plans to follow the example of Mississauga and Vaughan, where the two local mayors substantially lowered the fees builders paid.

Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca dropped development charges back to 2018 levels last year, while Mississauga lowered development charges on some projects by between 50 and 100 per cent.

Rob Flack, the new Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said he believed development charges were important to the building process but had to be overhauled.

“Development charges are a necessary tool, I think we all know …