VisitAble Housing in Ontario: A Municipal Planner’s Perspective

March 23 , 2016

Tanja Curic, MCIP, RPPPolicy PlannerCity of Waterloo

Role of Local Municipality in Planning

Legislative Framework

Encourage vs. Require

Potential Ways to Advance Visitability

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Make local planning decisions. Prepare planning documents

such as the Official Plan and Zoning By-law.

Ensure planning decisions and planning documents are consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement and conform with provincial plans, regional plan.

Engage the public and stakeholders in local planning processes.

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Planning Cycle

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Sets out rules for land use planning

in ON and describes how lands

may be controlled, and who

may control them.

Provides policy

direction on matters of provincial interest

related to land use

planning.

Framework for implementing

Province’s vision for building stronger,

prosperous communities by

better managing

growth in this region to 2031.

Provides policy direction on matters of regional interest

related to land use planning.

Long-range, comprehensive planning document that outlines framework for land use decision-making for the municipality.

Represents Council’s vision for growth and change within the community. By-laws and actions must conform to Plan.

Contains principles, objectives, and policies designed to direct the form, extent, nature and rate of growth and development within the municipality to 2031.

Must conform to the Regional Official Plan and provincial policy.

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Need enabling policy at provincial level in order to require developers and builders to build VisitAble housing

Such policy does not exist; caveat being the ON Building Code◦ Since January 1, 2015, the Building Code requires all apartment

buildings more than 3 storeys to have barrier free accessible features in the common areas that happen to fit the definition of VisitAble.

◦ 15% of the suites now required to have basic accessibility features such as wider doors and hallways, and a larger washroom capable of accommodating a wheelchair.

◦ Accessible features in low rise residential housing is currently limited to a requirement for visual smoke alarms and wall reinforcement in main washroom for installation of future grab bars.

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It contains a policy that encourages VisitAble Housing under s.3.9.2 Neighbourhoods◦ s.3.9.2.3 The City will plan for the

provision of an appropriate range and mix of housing types, sizes, costs and tenure within neighbourhoods by: e) Encouraging accessible and

visitable housing in order to facilitate ease of living and aging in place.

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“VisitAble” is a defined term in the Official Plan’s glossary:

Housing that incorporates accessibility features, with, at minimum, the following three basic features that help to foster a more livable and adaptable built environment: a zero-step entrance, wider doorways (at least a 32 inch clear opening), and a half bathroom on the main floor.

Waterloo is the only municipality in the Region to explicitly use the term “VisitAble” defined by the three features.

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Have encouraging policy in Official Plan and define VisitAble housing

Educate and inform Encourage builders and developers to build

VisitAble housing Consider incentives Consider bonusing Offer land or place conditions on the sale of the

land

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The End

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