Bettina Hoar’s Post

If you're interested in climate action and/or construction in Ontario, follow this story. The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) is suing the City of Toronto over the Toronto Green Standard (TGS), suggesting the City does not have the legal authority to require greener buildings over and above what is required by the Ontario Building Code. This case and any future ruling will impact how we build across the entire province. If anyone knows how the industry can have their say and support keeping the TGS, and by extension, all municipal green development standards, please comment below. https://lnkd.in/ggu8PuQa

"A 2017 cost-benefit analysis done for the city found that the "...current Toronto Green Standards would add 2.1 to 3.5 per cent to the costs of building low- and highrise multi-unit residential buildings compared to the minimum requirements in the Ontario building code. They would also result in life cycle cost savings of $1.15 to almost $2 per square foot from lower energy bills and other cost reductions over 25 years."

There is a debate ongoing in Toronto regarding building regulations. RESCON, an association of residential builders based in Ontario, Canada, has filed a suit against Toronto. The suit contends that enforcement of the Toronto Green Standards (TGS) violates the Ontario Building Code Act (OBCA). In their opinion, the OBCA prevents cities from establishing and enforcing standards beyond those in the Ontario Building Code. A legitimate argument or are the builders trying to take advantage of housing shortage to sidestep the cost of meeting environmental regulations? Of course, housing affordability for buyers is impacted. We will see as the story develops. https://lnkd.in/g8gkgPwW

Green standards are making building #housing “more complicated” at a time when the province is facing a housing shortage, RESCON president Richard Lyall said in an article in The Narwhal by Fatima Syed about a legal challenge filed by RESCON against the City of Toronto. He noted the legal challenge was a last resort, but RESCON didn’t feel it had an alternative. “We’re pro-green buildings but let’s have a common set of standards. We don’t need each municipality cooking their own system and forcing builders to follow it.” #housingcrisis #greenbuilding #development #planning

📢 Ontario Building Code: Key Changes for 2025 As of January 1, 2025, Ontario’s new Building Code came into effect. Introducing updates that support innovation, sustainability, and housing development across the province. A three-month grace period will allow builders time to transition smoothly. Here’s what you need to know: Key Changes at a Glance: 🔸Energy Efficiency Boost: Stricter insulation and energy performance standards will align Ontario with national conservation goals. 🔸Accessibility Enhancements: Updated requirements ensure designs create more inclusive spaces for both public and private developments. 🔸Billing and Invoicing for Trades: Builders will need to adapt to new transparency requirements for invoicing trades, ensuring clear alignment with construction milestones and compliance benchmarks. 🔸Specialized Structures and Compliance Costs: Updated snow and wind load standards will particularly impact specialized builds (like greenhouses), with early permit submissions helping to mitigate costs. 👉🏻 For specific details, download the updated 2024 Ontario Building Code here: https://lnkd.in/gHqVJErF #OntarioBuildingCode #BuildingCodeChanges #BuildBetter #BuildSafe #2025Construction #PlanAhead #PGE

Some municipalities are forging ahead with their own green building standards, imposing conditions that are even more restrictive than the national and provincial building codes, and setting unrealistic timelines, RESCON president Richard Lyall writes in a column in Storeys. “Moving the yardsticks beyond those legislated by the present building codes will only stymie the construction of much-needed new homes,” he states. “In the end, with fewer homes being built, nobody wins.” #housingsupplycrisis #construction #housingcrisis #development #BuildingRegulations #greenbuildings #sustainabledevelopment Danny Roth Eric Wainwright

As an NRCan Energy Advisor it is a challenge to work with builders in multiple cities with multiple planning agreements. Agreements that all seem to be created by commerical planners/engineers for residential products without a consideration of Part 9 building code energy requirements in place already. Although this is our speciality and I kind of enjoy the problem solving. It would be nice that builders that were/are high performance builders were recognized by the Municipalities, the Province and the Federal Government (amoung other programs) and not because they had too first, before being told what to build. #newhomerecognition (I should take a city count at this point, but is WAY more than the two listed in Ontario). Special shout out to Enbridge, CMHC and RBC for recognizing new home programs of participating high performance builders.

From RENX Homes: RESCON files legal challenge against Toronto Green Standard. Industry group argues Toronto Green Standard oversteps authority, and is limiting housing construction. #housing #homebuilder #construction #government #sustainability

A Planning Inspector granted permission today for another large housing scheme in Hertsmere's green belt, finding that "very special circumstances" exist which justify the development. After an inquiry earlier this month, an Inspector today allowed an appeal today for up to 220 homes, 50% of which will be affordable, on a greenfield Green Belt site on the edge of Borehamwood in Hertsmere. The site is a draft allocation in the Council's emerging local plan. The Inspector concluded that the Council's housing land supply shortfall, at 1.39 years, is very substantial. He attributed very substantial weight to the delivery of both market and affordable homes (along with significant weight to custom and self-build homes), and substantial weight to the benefits of delivery custom and self-build plots. Overall, he decided that the scheme's benefits clearly outweigh its harms so as to demonstrate very special circumstances. This follows another successful appeal on a nearby green belt site earlier this year: https://lnkd.in/eZr3mBU9 I acted for Chris Jasper of Barrat Homes, along with Isabella Buono of Landmark Chambers, with a team including Geoff Armstrong and Lynsey Rigg of ARMSTRONG RIGG PLANNING LIMITED on planning, Will Gardner of The Environmental Dimension Partnership Ltd on green belt and landscape impacts, James Stacey and Andy Moger of Tetlow King Planning on affordable and self/custom-build housing, and Joanna Crow of DAC Beachcroft on the planning obligation.

What’s the Difference Between a License and a Permit in Jamaican Real Estate and Construction?: Let’s break down the differences between a license and a permit in Jamaica using examples to make it clear when and why each one is needed, especially in real estate and construction. We’ll look at scenarios related to Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), the Real Estate (Dealers and Developers) Act (REDDA), building and construction, planning permission, waste, dangerous substances, and […] The post What’s the Difference Between a License and a Permit in Jamaican Real Estate and Construction? first appeared on Jamaica Homes.