New BILD Chairman
'Excessive' 905 development charges curbing condo growth
February 18, 2011
Ryan Starr
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Unreasonable parkland requirements and hefty development charges are hampering growth of highrise condos in the 905 region, the incoming chair of the Building Industry and Land Development (BILD) association says.
Paul Golini, vice president of Empire Communities, was formally introduced as BILD chair Jan. 25 during an association event in North York.
In remarks to the dinner crowd, Golini said the GTA development industry has made “remarkable progress” toward meeting the province’s Places to Grow goal of building intensified communities that make more efficient use of existing land, resources and infrastructure.
He noted that the proportion of highrise construction in the GTA has more than doubled in the past decade; highrises now account for more than half of the market, reaching a record high of 55 per cent last year, according to data from RealNet Canada.
At the same time, Golini said, the single detached home share of the market has dropped from 43 per cent in 2000 to 27 per cent last year. “Barely a quarter of what we’re building as an industry today is single detached homes.”
This sales and building activity is also shifting inwards, with 45 per cent of all the action last year based within the 416 region. “That’s double what it was 10 years ago,” Golini said.
Meanwhile in the 905, there are “serious obstacles” to highrise construction, he said, “not the least of which is parkland dedication requirements that work against intensification, as well as excessive development charges.”
By contrast, in Toronto, the association worked to achieve a two-year freeze on charges and a four-year phase-in of the increase, he said.
Citing housing affordability as a top priority during his term as BILD chair, Golini vowed to continue the group’s fight against higher development costs.
At the same time, he said, the industry needs to do a better job of explaining the benefits of a healthy housing sector.
“The economic impact of our industry is well documented, yet somehow the media, public and government never seem to fully connect the dots between a healthy housing industry and the jobs and tax revenues that come with it.”
“The erection of every tower crane for each new condo building in the city should be as newsworthy as the opening of another manufacturing plant or the addition of another shift at an existing plant.”
Golini noted that he’d just returned from a builders show in the U.S., “where they’re still talking about a light at the end of the tunnel.”
The GTA’s bustling housing market is the envy of them all, he said, “but somehow we’re just not feeling the love locally.”
Get set for Greenbuild
This October, Toronto plays host to Greenbuild, the annual international conference of the U.S. Green Building Council.
The event— which runs from Oct. 4 to 7 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre — is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.
Thousands of building professionals from around the world gather for three days of educational sessions, speakers — former U.S. secretary of state Colin Powell is in this year’s lineup — green building tours, seminars and networking events.
“This is the first and perhaps only time it’s being held outside the U.S.,” says BILD chair Paul Golini. “It’s a great coup for us and a golden opportunity for us to showcase our leadership and innovation.”
For more information visit www.greenbuildexpo.org