Ottawa, Ontario, November 20, 2024 – The Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) is once again raising concerns about the negative impact of rising Development Charges (DCs) on the affordability of Ottawa’s new housing supply, following the Planning and Housing Committee’s approval to add corporate studies to Ottawa’s DC rates – the third increase since May 2024.

 

“Today’s increase – ranging from $350 to $650 for most homes in Ottawa – adds further pressure to housing affordability and supply,” said Jason Burggraaf, GOHBA’s Executive Director. “While this number may seem small, when you include the new DC By-law from May, it’s the fourth increase in development charges we’ve seen this year.”

 

Periodic changes have obscured the true increase in DCs over the past year. From Oct 1, 2023, to Nov 27, 2024, DC rates will have increased for new homes, on average:

• 28 per cent inside the greenbelt
• 23 per cent outside the greenbelt
• 26 per cent in serviced rural areas
• 29 per cent in unserviced rural areas

 

In order to address these rising costs, GOHBA has put forth recommendations to the provincial government to strengthen the Development Charges Act.

 

“If it is happening in Ottawa, it is certainly happening in municipalities across the province, adding unnecessary cost to new home construction,” said Burggraaf. “Ensuring fair, transparent, and justified development charges is essential to meeting our shared housing goals.”

 

GOHBA is committed to advocating for policy changes that balance the need for essential infrastructure funding with the goal of increasing housing supply and improving affordability.

 

Media Contact

For media inquiries, please contact:

 

Jason Burggraaf

Executive Director

Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association

jason@gohba.ca

 

Backgrounder  

 

For more details, please refer to the complete backgrounder here, which highlights key concerns and recommendations.

 

A full breakdown of DC Rate increases by type, dollar and percentage is available here.