York Region continues to show growth as development activity increases

April 06, 2023

Strong 2022 development charge revenue is telling of upcoming housing availability and a growing community

Newmarket – The Regional Municipality of York continues to show growth collecting over $560 million in development charges last year, with the 2022 Annual Development Activity Summary confirming the highest development charge revenue collected over the past five years.

“The 2022 Development Activity Summary shows continued growth and housing development in York Region, both which help contribute to our thriving economy,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson. “Housing affordability remains a top priority for York Regional Council, and we are focused on working with our partners to sustain and improve livability of our residents for all ages and stages of life.”

Highlights from the 2022 Development Activity Summary include:

$568,088,449 development charge revenue collected; 24% increase from $457,348,103 collected in 2021
2,092 development applications; 2% increase over 2021
3,168 proposed residential units through new subdivision applications were received, a significant increase of 87%
18,547 proposed residential units through new site plan applications received, a 50% increase from 2021

Development charges are collected through development approvals to pay for necessary growth-related infrastructure such as water and wastewater, roads and transit. Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 proposes several exemptions and discounts for attainable, affordable, non-profit and rental housing. These exemptions will limit future development charges revenue and will need to be funded in other ways to maintain existing service levels and pay for future growth.

A status update on available housing supply in York Region was also completed. The report indicates a strong supply of residential units across York Region. This update shows there are an estimated 65,900 approved and registered housing units across all nine municipalities. These unbuilt units represent a five-year supply to accommodate anticipated growth. In addition, there are 20,300 housing units under construction that will be occupied by residents upon completion.

“We are working together to understand the implications of Bill 23 and how they will impact important Regional Council priorities,” said City of Richmond Hill Regional Councillor Joe DiPaola, Chair of the Region’s Planning and Economic Development. “We will continue to focus on the growth and development in the Region by using new innovative ways to simplify the application process and focus on the critical issue of housing affordability.”

The 2022 Annual Development Activity report summarizes new development applications received by the Region in 2022 using data collected from YorkTrax, York Region’s digital development application and tracking system. YorkTrax now provides access to local municipalities, developers and the public for application status across the Region.

Developers and businesses can find more information about fees and approvals at york.ca/landdevelopment

For more information on York Region’s housing affordability initiatives, visit york.ca/housingaffordability

The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to more than 1.2 million residents and 55,600 businesses with more than 615,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/regionalservices

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Media Contact:

Stephanie Crowley, Corporate Communications, The Regional Municipality of York
289-763-2598
[email protected]