Amid housing crisis, London looks to fast-track large multi-unit buildings

The City of London is looking to streamline approvals for large-scale housing developments in a bid to get more units built faster.  

A report coming to the city's planning committee outlines a process that will allow developers to enter a fast-track process that combines two approval stages — site plan and building permit — if they commit to getting construction started in 2025. 

In response to Mayor Josh Morgan's directive earlier this year, city staff have identified 31 applications for buildings of 100 units or more that are at the site plan stage and considered good candidates for fast-tracking. 

The buildings on the list are already approved by council, and combined, they account for more than 8,200 units. To enter the fast-track process, developers need to sign a letter that confirms they intend to at least get footings built no later than Dec. 1 of this year.

Reaching that initial construction stage allows the project to be counted in the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation statistics as a housing start. Those starts are required to access funding from senior governments through programs such as the Housing Accelerator Fund. 

Mike Wallace, executive director of the London Development Institute, said having the fast-track option will be helpful to members of his organization, which includes some of London's largest developers.

"We're supportive of prioritizing applications where the city is confident that the proponents will actually dig the hole and pour the cement before Dec. 1 of this year," he said. "This will help many of my members get their projects to market faster." 

The list of 31 projects considered good candidates for fast-tracking are located throughout London. They include a 340-unit building proposed by Farhi Developments in the heart of Richmond Row at 200 Albert St. 

Other projects on the list include a proposal by Westdell Development Corporation to build three new towers at the corner at 1737 Richmond St., at the intersection with Fanshawe Park Road.

A proposal by Royal Premier Homes to build 182 new units at 801 Sarnia Rd. is also on the list of projects for fast-track potential. 

Process needs 'very critical lens' planner says

Planner Mike Davis of Siv-ik Planning and Design worked with Royal Premier Homes on the Sarnia Road project. He said the fast-track process has good potential to get shovels in the ground faster. 

However, he also said many of the 31 projects had city council approval for a long time but haven't started to move through the permit or site application stage.

"There needs to be a very critical lens at which projects they're throwing resources at in prioritizing, and perhaps giving more weight to the track record of the developer in actually building," said Davis. 

Paul Kitson, vice president of planning with Westdell, said he supports the move to streamline approval steps for new builds in spirit.

However, he also said projects can be held up by quibbles with city staff.

"Sometimes there can be a long back and forth on these issues," said Kitson. 

The report on fast-tracking housing projects will come to the city's planning committee on Tuesday.