All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes Water

Bryan Causarano-Bolton

Regional Council · Region of Waterloo

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All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes Water
This candidate finalized their responses after this guide and scoring methodology was published.

Growth & Planning

How should councils weigh the long-term cost of maintaining existing infrastructure when making decisions about outward growth and expansion?ranked from highest to lowest importance
  1. Prioritize infill and intensification where infrastructure
  2. Require detailed cost and risk analysis before approving
  3. Use development phasing tied to infrastructure capacity
  4. Limit outward growth unless full lifecycle infrastructure
  5. Proceed with outward growth to address housing supply
How should councils balance provincial and regional mandates for increased housing density with neighbourhood opposition and local infrastructure constraints?select up to 4 per part
A. Planning & zoning tools
  • Focus incremental density near transit, schools, and commercial areas
  • Allow small-scale housing forms city-wide as-of-right (e.g. up to four units per lot)
  • Require area-specific planning studies before permitting additional density
B. Managing neighbourhood opposition
  • Use public engagement to inform design, not to veto density
  • Phase or adjust density in response to neighbourhood concerns about design or servicing capacity
  • Require demonstrated city-wide benefits to justify local impacts
C. Infrastructure & servicing
  • Approve density where infrastructure capacity already exists
  • Pair density approvals with targeted infrastructure upgrades
  • Accept short-term constraints in order to meet housing demand

Describe one concrete zoning, planning, or development decision you would support (or oppose) that reflects how you would balance these priorities.candidate's own words

Focus higher-density, mixed-use development along existing and planned transit corridors, while requiring that growth be matched with infrastructure and community amenities.

Please describe one concrete example of a growth or infrastructure decision you would support or oppose using this approach.candidate's own words

Conditioning major new growth on demonstrated infrastructure capacity and a clear plan for who pays the full lifecycle cost of servicing it. Growth should pay for upgrades, infrastructure should be available when people need it, and taxpayers should not be left carrying the long-term cost of inefficient development patterns.

What can the municipality/region do, if anything, about land which sits vacant for years because it is being used as an investment (land banking)?candidate's own words

Prioritize infrastructure where it delivers housing and community value, and use the planning and financial tools available to encourage land that is designated for development to actually be developed.