Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti has used strong mayor powers to overrule his city council’s decision to allow up to four units on most residential lots citywide, a move that could jeopardize federal money for housing.
The veto follows a February meeting where councillors voted 7-6 to endorse a staff recommendation to change the city’s official plan and zoning to encourage denser housing in residential neighbourhoods.
Scarpitti, at the time, voted no.
“Permitting up to four units on certain city properties could potentially interfere with provincial and city priorities, including but not limited to adversely impacting transportation networks, parking capacity, municipal infrastructure and other utilities, and the provision of municipal servicing,” he wrote in a signed veto document, released Wednesday.
Scarpitti added that the city “remains committed to increasing its existing housing supply” and has more than 220,000 units planned.
He did not respond to the Star’s request for comment by deadline.
Supporters of fourplexes say allowing this kind of “missing middle” housing, homes between tiny condos in a tall towers and sprawling detached houses, is part of solving the region’s housing crisis.
It appears the Markham city council decision to allow fourplexes is tied to federal money from the Housing Accelerator Fund, a program to boost housing supply, although it’s not clear how much.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. spokesperson David Harris said in an email they are “closely monitoring” the situation.
“We expect municipalities to fulfill their agreements. If commitments aren’t met or are reversed, Housing Accelerator Fund funding is at risk,” he said.
In the council meeting where the decision was originally debated, Ward 3 Coun. Reid McAlpine said that if they rejected the motion the city would likely lose “many millions of dollars” that could otherwise be spent on more affordable housing.
Ward 6 Coun. Amanda Yeung Collucci, who also voted no on the staff recommendation to permit up to four units, told the Star Thursday that she’s not against density.
But she’s concerned about the infrastructure needed such as schools, roads, water and sewage.
“All of a sudden we’re adding density that is beyond the capacity” of these neighbourhoods to accommodate, she said.
She also feels allowing more units will “encourage speculation,” and that solving the housing crisis will require looking at the entire system.
“This is not good planning,” she added.
Strong mayor powers were initially given to Toronto and Ottawa in 2022 by the province, but were later expanded to a list of other municipalities, including Markham.
Sean Galbraith, a private urban planner in Toronto, said they were supposed to be used for provincial priorities and more housing is one of them.
The powers have “never been tested in this way as far as I’m aware,” he said to “block matters of provincial interest.”
Michael Minzak, a spokesperson for the provincial minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said in an emailed statement that it’s “the responsibility of the mayor, council, and municipality to implement the strong mayor framework in line with legislation and regulations.”
Last July, Toronto city council watered down its own proposal on denser housing, legalizing up to six units on lots only in old Toronto, East York and one ward in Scarborough instead of citywide, a decision which cost the city millions of dollars in federal housing funding.
