Thursday, June 2nd, 2022, is Election Day across Ontario and your chance to influence change.
Housing affordability continues to be a major topic during the Ontario Provincial Election and The Barrie & District Association of Realtors® (BDAR) is dedicated to keeping our communities & 1,500 members informed by breaking down party platforms and connecting with local candidates across the Greater Simcoe County Region to discuss how their party will positively impact the Ontario housing affordability crisis.
Party Information
Progressive
Conservative Party
New Democratic
Party
Liberal Party
Leader
Steven Del Duca
Party Website
Full Party Platform
Party Platforms
Breaking Down Key Points
Ontario PC
Platform Highlights
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Build the Highway 413 to help relieve congestion and reduce commute times for drivers in North Halton, Peel, and York region
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Invest $158.8 billion over 10 years in new highways, transit, and hospitals
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Balance the budget by 2027-28
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Introduce a new Ontario Seniors Care at Home tax credit that would refund up to 25 per cent of eligible expenses up to $6,000 for a maximum credit of $1,500
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Move some provincial agencies out of Toronto to save money and bring jobs to other regions
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Invest an additional $114.4 million over 3 years in a Skilled Trades Strategy
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Invest an additional $1 billion over 3 years in-home care
Housing Policy
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Introduce new tools to help municipalities accelerate planning processes that streamline the approvals process for new housing
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Invest $45 million towards a new Streamline Development Approval Fund to help Ontario’s largest 39 municipalities approve housing applications
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Provide additional resources to reduce backlogs at the Ontario Land Tribunal
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Introduced a 20 per cent non-resident speculation tax
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Explore the implementation of a vacant home tax
Ontario NDP
Platform Highlights
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Make dental care free for households earning less than $90,000 and introduce a subsidy for those earning between $90,000 and $200,000
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Guarantee quick job offers for 2,000 internationally trained nurses
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Reform Ontario’s political lobbying rules to make sure all meetings are reported and restore the donation cap to $1,600
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Begin working on pharmacare program for Ontario
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Hire 10,000 PSWs and 30,000 nurses
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Create a mixed-member proportional voting system
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Implement a four-day workweek pilot
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Reduce Ontario’s GHG emissions to 50 per cent of 2005 levels
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Introduce a $10,000 EV tax credit
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Hire 20,000 teachers and cap class sizes for Grade 4-8 to 24, and kindergarten to 26
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Establish universal mental health coverage
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Plant 1 billion trees
Housing Policy
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End exclusionary zoning and bring back rent control
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Build 100,000 social housing units over 10 years and renovate 260,000 additional units
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Introduce a speculation and vacancy tax on residential property
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Create a portable housing benefit to help residents who can’t afford to pay rent
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Fix the Landlord and Tenant Board and restore the right to in-person hearings
Ontario Liberal
Platform Highlights
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Cap all class sizes to 20 students and hire 10,000 teachers
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Cancel highway 413 and use that $10 billion to build 200 new schools and renovate 4,500 others
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Reduce GHG emissions to 50 per cent below 2005 levels
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Create a $9 billion clean economy plan to create 25,000 new jobs
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Provide an EV rebate of $8,000 on cars with an MSRP up to $65,000
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Make all transit rides in Ontario $1 until January 2024. Invest an additional $375 million in annual transit funding
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Create a new tax bracket of 15.16 per cent on income over $500,000
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Implement a surtax on corporations that operate in Ontario with profits over $1 billion a year
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End for-profit long-term care by 2028 and build 30,000 new long-term care beds and redevelop 28,000 existing spaces
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Ban the sale and possession of handguns
Housing Policy
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Build 1.5 million homes over 10 years
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Get rid of red tape that drives up the cost of homes and speed up build times
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Provide more provincial land to allow more places to build houses
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Introduce a vacant home tax in urban areas and on developers who are sitting on land
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Reinstate rent controls across the province
Ontario Green
Platform Highlights
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Expand the number of woman’s health and abortion clinics
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Amend the Green Belt Act to prevent highway construction through the area
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Significantly expand access to EV charging infrastructure
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Double the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) rate
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Cancel the 413 and create a free-for-trucks lane on the 407
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Offer a rebate of up to $10,000 for EVs, and $1,000 for electric bikes
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Reduce mental health service wait times by hiring more front-line workers
Housing Policy
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Build 100,000 affordable rental housing units
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Build 60,000 supportive housing units
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Renew 260,000 community housing units over 10 years
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Introduce a home speculation tax for those who own multiple homes
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Expand zoning options to increase the housing supply
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Streamline approvals processes
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Expand transit-oriented development
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Promote a made-in-Ontario modular housing industry
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Introduce funding to help existing not-for-profit housing stock remain
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Create a task force to address the financialization of housing
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Regulate short-term rentals and create a registry for these properties
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Implement a beneficial ownership registry to avoid nameless companies from trading properties
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Reinstate rent control and establish a vacancy control system
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Increase funding to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LPAT)
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Consult and develop a down-payment support program for low- and middle-income firstime home buyers
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End blind-bidding
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Make it easier for homeowners to add rental units to their primary residence
Meet the Candidates
Running in the Greater Simcoe Region
Barrie-Innisfil
Andrea Khanjin
Progressive Conservative Party
Khanjin is the current MPP for Barrie-Innisfil, and serves as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the Deputy Government House Leader. Before her election in 2018, Khanjin worked as a constituency assistant to a Conservative MP. Learn More
Watch: Andrea Khanjin's
Commitment to Affordable Housing
*All candidates have been invited to submit a video.
Submissions will be shared when received.
Pekka Reinio
New Democratic Party
Reinio is an educator and community advocate who is passionate about the conservation efforts of Lake Simcoe and tackling climate change. Learn More
John Olthuis
Liberal Party
Olthuis is a communications and marketing professional who has lived in Barrie-Innisfil for almost 30 years. Olthuis cares deeply about supporting small businesses and helping them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn More
Watch: John Olthuis'
Commitment to Affordable Housing
*All candidates have been invited to submit a video.
Submissions will be shared when received.
Bonnie North
Green Party
North is a long-time Green Party advocate and candidate who has run for the Green Party four times since 2014. North has been the Deputy Leader of the Ontario Green Party two times. Learn More
Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte
Doug Downey
Progressive Conservative Party
Downey currently serves as the MPP for Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte and the Attorney General of Ontario. Before politics, Downey worked as a lawyer – founding his own law firm.
Beverley Patchell
New Democratic Party
Patchell is a long-time resident of the area, with an extensive career with the County General Welfare Assistance office and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
Jeff Lehman
Liberal Party
Lehman recently served as the Mayor of Barrie before stepping down to run in the Ontario election. Before his term as mayor, Lehman was a municipal councillor in Barrie. Before politics, Lehman founded a management consulting company (MKI) and was an academic at the London School of Economics.
Elyse Robinson
Green Party
Robinson is a recent Journalism graduate from Carleton University who was actively involved with environmental causes on campus.
Simcoe-Grey
Brian Saunderson
Progressive Conservative Party
Saunderson is the recently departed Mayor of Collingwood. Before politics, Saunderson was a lawyer for 22 years and taught at Georgian College.
Keith Nunn
New Democratic Party
Nunn was born and raised in small town Ontario. He is an IT professional who has provided infrastructure design and strategic planning for non-profits, startups and financial companies.
Ted Crysler
Liberal Party
Crysler is a lawyer who works in the technology and corporate/commercial law sector. He is also passionate about environmental issues.
Allan Kuhn
Green Party
Kuhn is a long-time environmental activist who has had a long career in the not-for-profit sector.
Simcoe-North
Jill Dunlop
Progressive Conservative Party
Dunlop currently serves as the MPP for Simcoe North and the Minister of Colleges and Universities. Before politics, Dunlop worked as an administrator and faculty member of Georgian College.
Elizabeth Van Houtte
New Democratic Party
Van Houtte is a long-time community advocate, social worker, and educator. She has taught at Laurentian University, Lakehead University, Mohawk College, and Georgian College.
Aaron Cayden Hiltz
Liberal Party
Hiltz is a Law and Political Science student in Orillia who is passionate about education and mental health. Learn More
Krystal Brooks
Green Party
Brooks is from Rama First Nations and is a survivor of human trafficking. She is passionate about mental health, and homelessness, with a particular focus on Indigenous peoples. She is passionate about the environment.
Learn More
Watch: Krystal Brooks'
Commitment to Affordable Housing
*All candidates have been invited to submit a video.
Submissions will be shared when received.
York-Simcoe
Caroline Mulroney
Progressive Conservative Party
Mulroney currently serves as the MPP for York-Simcoe and the Minister of Transportation and Francophone Affairs. Before politics, Mulroney worked in the financial services industry in the US and Canada.
Spencer Ki
New Democratic Party
Ki works as a design research team lead at the University of Toronto’s Innovation Hub, and writes for the school’s student newspaper on business and labour topics.
Walter Alvarez-Bardales
Liberal Party
Alvarez-Bardales is a civil servant working in fiscal policy and benefits for the federal government. He is passionate about healthcare rights and is a current Doctoral candidate.
Julie Stewart
Green Party
Stewart is an educator who is a passionate advocate of environmental sustainability and ecological preservation.
Voting Information
Eligibility, Registration, Ways to Vote
Eligibility
To vote in an Ontario election, you must be:
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18 years of age or older on election day
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a Canadian citizen
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a resident of Ontario
Registration
Confirm, update or add your information to the voter's list until May 23 at eregistration.elections.on.ca. You can still vote if you're not registered. Add your information in person when you go to vote.
Voter Information Card
If you are on the voter's list, you will be mailed a voter information card with information about when and where you vote. Voter information cards will be on their way starting May 13.
You can still vote if you do not receive a voter information card, Bring one piece of ID showing both your name and current residential address.
Vote Early
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By mail
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At your returning office
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During advanced voting
Learn more at voterinformationservices.elections.on.ca
Vote on Election Day
Vote at your assigned voting location from 9 AM to 9 PM on June 2.
Find your assigned voting location on your voter information card, the Elections Ontario app, or at voterinformationservices.elections.on.ca
Accessibility
Elections Ontario has accessible tools and services available to you. For a full list, visit elections.on.ca/accessible-voting or call 1-888-668-8683.
Information provided by Elections Ontario.
Learn More at elections.on.ca
Additional Resources
Hear from our Partner Organizations
Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA)
Saving the Canadian Dream of Home Ownership in Ontario
Ontario REALTORS® 2022 Platform for a Home for Everyone
Highlights Include:
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More Help for First-Time Home Buyers
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Index the Land Transfer Tax (LTT) Rebate to Inflation
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Build More Homes
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End Exclusionary Zoning
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Convert Underused Commercial Properties to Homes
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Ontario Housing Delivery Fund
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Make Home Ownership More Affordable
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Green Ontario Homes
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Protect Consumers
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Make Ontario a Leader in North America for Real Estate Regulation
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Level the Housing Playing Field
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Get Dirty Money out of Ontario Real Estate
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Fic the Ontario Land Tribunal
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Ontario Election 2022: Housing Promises
OREA's "Home for Everyone" Political Report Card
With the provincial election only two weeks away, OREA has compared the four major political parties – the PCs, Liberals, NDP and Greens to see how each party plans on tackling the housing crisis.
OREA has done an analysis of all the party platforms and compared them to REALTOR® priorities.
Ontario Home Builders Association (OHBA)
CUT THE ****
Take the Pledge & Demand Action
We’re in a housing crisis.
The Ontario Home Builders’ Association invites you to Take the Pledge and Demand Action.
Vote to build more homes!
“On Election Day…
I am voting for no more excuses, delays, and roadblocks to building more homes.
I am voting for housing supply, choice, and attainability so that all Ontarians have a place to live, work, and play.
I am voting for solutions to fix Ontario’s housing crisis.
I am voting to CUT THE **** and BUILD MORE HOMES.”
Learn more and take the pledge at ontariobuildmorehomes.ca
In the Media
As an older adult who relies on a combination of pension income and a job to live, Jodie Wilson said she appreciates the financial challenges many in the community face. “I can understand how strained it is for people economically,” the 67-year-old told Simcoe.com. With a provincial election looming, issues of affordability are top of mind for the Orillia woman. Addressing the high cost of rental housing must be a priority for the next government, Wilson said.
Grey Bruce This Week: "Middle class" priced out of local housing options according to new report
Community Foundation Grey Bruce released a data-driven housing report last week showing people traditionally thought of as “middle class” in the region are being priced out of affordable housing options. The Vital Focus on Housing report was created with the Community Foundation of Canada’s Vital Signs initiative, which measures community wellbeing through data-driven programming. It had five key findings.
Global News: Housing affordability key Ontario election issue for Vaughan, mayor says
Housing is a key issue for Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua ahead of the 2022 provincial election. The York Region city, like many places across the GTA and southern Ontario, has seen rental rates and house prices skyrocket, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board shows the average house sold in Vaughan in April for $1.4 million. “A city must embrace the diversity of individuals — whether it’s cultural, economic, whatever the case may be,” Bevilacqua told Global News in an interview about the upcoming Ontario election.
BayToday: Affordability of homes key plank in Sean McClocklin's platform
Nipissing Green candidate Sean McClocklin, 26, is an addictions counsellor and sees his fair share of hardship and suffering. That's why he's so keen to tackle the housing affordability crisis, something prioritized by the Green Party...As Ontario voters begin heading to the advanced polls, housing affordability remains a top priority for all provincial political parties. A recent poll conducted by Abacus Data on behalf of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) shows that 73 per cent of Ontarians agree that making housing more affordable should be a priority for the Ontario government, with 84 per cent saying that a party’s ideas on solving the housing affordability crisis could be an important factor when deciding who to vote for on June 2.
View the Vibe: Will Torontonians see an increase in affordable housing after the Ontario election?
It’s election season in Ontario again and the biggest issue is housing. Each of the major parties has made a point of tackling housing unaffordability in their platform. What’s odd is that even though they all ostensibly come from different ideological backgrounds, they’ve reached something of a housing consensus. The Conservatives, Liberals and NDP have all outlined measures to spur housing construction. They’ve all decided that the problem with housing in Ontario is that there isn’t enough of it and what is being built is taking too long. Let’s take a look a closer look.