Ottawa ACORN members hold April Fools’ Day action on Inclusionary Zoning!

ACORN members in Ottawa held an April Fools Day rally at Liberal MPP Bob Chiarelli’s office on Wednesday, April 1st to put pressure on the liberal government to stop being “foolish” and include Inclusionary Zoning measures in Bill 73.

 

Bill 73 was introduced in March after an amendment to the Planning Act, Bill 39, died on the committee table. In November of 2014, Liberal MPP Peter Milczyn introduced Bill 39 as a private members bill with a subsection on Inclusionary Zoning that would allow cities to mandate affordable types of housing be included in new developments.

 

This is the 6th time that a bill of this kind has not been allowed a third and final vote. NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo has introduced Inclusionary Zoning legislation five times with the same outcome. Liberal MPPs have cited a lack of understanding of the consequences of Inclusionary Zoning at this time as the reason for their hesitation in passing Inclusionary Zoning legislation.

 

ACORN members say that the Liberals are fools to not support Inclusionary Zoning and worry that if Bill 73 is passed without Inclusionary Zoning powers, the housing crisis in Ontario will only continue to grow. 

 

Members were joined by the Raging Grannies who wrote and sang a number of songs for the occasion, expressing their disappointment in the defeat of Bill 39 and calling on the Ontario government to “do the right thing” and work together with the federal and municipal governments to “make housing right and fair” by passing Inclusionary Zoning legislation.

 

 

CFRA 580: Ottawa ACORN rally against defeat of inclusionary zoning bill