August 2024. City of Toronto. Dozens of municipalities in Ontario have green development standards in place to reduce carbon emissions from new construction projects and meet local climate and economic goals. However, few developers are meeting higher tiers voluntarily, slowing progress on much-needed decarbonization.
Municipal policymakers are uniquely positioned to implement financial and non-financial incentives to increase uptake of high-performance, low-carbon construction. Incentive options include:
- Partial Development Charge Refund
- Low Interest Loans and Grants
- Local Improvement Charge
- Density Bonusing
- Expedited Planning Approvals and/or Building Permits
- Reduced Parking Minimums