Waterloo Reg ion Home Builders’ Association ADVOCACY IN ACTION October 2014 Your Voice on National, Provincial and Regional Issues Waterloo Region Home Builders’ Association (WRHBA) actively participates through a number of committee’s organized to represent the interests of the Association related to building and development issues within our region. In addition to these committees, our Association coordinates our advocacy efforts with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, Ontario Home Builders’ Association and other Home Builders’ Associations. Visit WRHBA’s website at www.wrhba.com for back issues. PROVINCIAL – ONTARIO HOME BUILDERS ’ ASSOCIATION – WWW .OHBA .CA Prepared by Steven Harris, Harris Management Group, WRHBA President Six Storey Wood - Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Ted McMeekin has announced that the an amendment to the Ontario Building Code will allow taller wooden building frames, from the current four stories to six effective January 1, 2015. This came about following five years of advocacy efforts at the provincial and local level; it’s a game changer for the industry and their consumers. Resolutions Approved at OHBA Annual Meeting of Members 1. Greenbelt – submitted by: OHBA Land Development Committee 2. Illegal Building – submitted by: OHBA-Tarion Liaison Committee 3. Construction Lien Act – submitted by: OHBA Executive Committee 4. White Belt – submitted by: OHBA Land Development Committee 5. OHBA College of Trades Advocacy – submitted by: OHBA Executive Committee 6. Ontario Building Code – Six-Storey Wood-Frame Construction – submitted by: OHBA Technical Committee 7. Transportation Planning Policy Statement – submitted by: OHBA Land Development Committee 8. Respect for Rural Ontario and Small Business – submitted by: OHBA Executive Committee 9. Exemption of Record of Site Condition for Temporary Roads – submitted by: OHBA Land Development Committee 10. WSIB Rate Group Modernization - submitted by: OHBA Health and Safety Committee 11. Supporting Brownfield Redevelopment (O. Reg 153/04) - submitted by: OHBA Land Development Committee 12. Special EnerQuality Dividend - submitted by: OHBA Executive Committee OHBA – CONDOMINIUM ACT REVIEW Submitted by Craig Robson, Robson Carpenter, WRHBA Advisor New Ministry Leadership - In June following the provincial election, Premier Kathleen Wynne announced that David Orazietti, MPP- Sault Ste. Marie would be the new Minister of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS). As well, on September 2 nd , Wendy Tilford became the ministry’s new Deputy Minister. Both are very pleased to be providing leadership for MGCS and have been fully briefed on numerous ministry initiatives and priorities including the Condominium Act review. Legislature Resumes in October - The Government of Ontario Legislature will resume on October 20, 2014. In preparation, Premier Kathleen Wynne delivered mandate letters to Ontario’s Cabinet Ministers. These letters outline key ministry priorities and specific expectations of each minister for the next four years. Minister David Orazietti’s mandate letter makes specific reference to the new government’s commitment to modernize the Condominium Act. The government intends to expand protection for condominium buyers and owners by addressing the needs of the fast-growing condominium community, and supporting the long-term sustainability of condominium living by introducing legislation to modernize the Condominium Act and create mandatory qualifications for condominium managers. What’s Next for the Condominium Act Review - In the coming months, the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services looks forward to acting on the recommendations it has received from condo residents, experts and the public and developing proposed new legislation. The final report from Stage Three of the Condo Act review is posted on the Public Policy Forum’s (PPF) website. As well, the Forum has authored a case study on the Condominium Act review public engagement strategy. You can read the Stage Three report and the Case Study online now. Feedback / comments can be submitted directly to the ministry by email ( [email protected] ) or mailed to: ONCONDO, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, 5th Floor, 777 Bay Street, Toronto ON M7A 2J3. CITY OF KITCHENER LIAISON COMMITTEE Prepared by Committee Chair, Peter Armbruster, Activa Group, WRHBA Past President, 2007-08 Engineering - The City is considering adding Perpetual Maintenance Fee for Noise Walls / Retaining Walls. This fee would be based on 55% of the value of the noise wall/retaining wall and would be utilized years later when the noise wall/retaining wall would need to be replaced. Planning - If approved, most planning related fees would increase by about 3%, the site plan fee categories would be restructured and there would be two new fees. It was further explained that the site plan fee categories have been reduced to four and that each of the site plan categories corresponds to a previously existing category that has been increased by 3%. The two new fees are for partial cost recovery of pre-submission consultations for committee of adjustment applications and for holding Neighbourhood Information Meetings. These new fees would only be charged in situations where these services are provided and would be collected separately from the standard fee. The Liaison Committee members will focus on the areas that require follow up actions at the next meeting scheduled for Oct 17, 2014. The approval process for the 2015 User Fees are; Dec. 8 Finance Committee and Council approval on Dec. 15. Building - The Building Enterprise is raising 2015 User fees by approx. 1.5% because the stabilization reserve fund is below its minimum level and there are no major capital projects planned. The 1.5% rate was selected because the city staff union contract was not set and the rate was close to inflation. There are no new fees proposed in 2015. Building staff are tracking their time involved with permits to increase residential units inside existing residential buildings such as single detached converted to duplex. It appears a significant amount of staff resources are consumed by these types of projects by home owners. Builders who wish to avoid the change in permit fee rate are permitted to apply and pay for the permit prior to Jan. 1, 2015. Final Grading Approvals - A few issues that have been re-occurring on final grading letter submissions ranging from pools installed at time of house construction and notes on the submitted final grading plans were reviewed. The industry agreed to meet with the Building Department to review these scenarios and come to an agreeable solution. August 2014 Building Permit Statistics - The August permit numbers returned to levels budgeted for 2014 after the previous 4 months spiked significantly. One reason for the spike is the City & Regional DC increases (July 1 & August 1 respectively). For further information, please contact Marie Schroeder, Exec utive Officer at 519.884.7590. Consult www.wrhba.com for liaison committee listings & past issues of WRHBA’s Advocacy in Action. .