Development Charges Exemption for Affordable Residential Units (Ontario, Bill 23)
Under Ontario's Development Charges Act (amended by Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act), new residential units kept affordable for 25 years are exempt from municipal development charges. This lowers a builder/landlord's per-unit cost in exchange for a registered 25-year affordability commitment.
What you get
Funding for affordable housing
Who it's for
Developers/landlords creating residential units intended to be 'affordable residential units' for at least 25 years from first rental or sale.
This takes you to the official website
What to have ready
Documents they may ask for
- Government ID for everyone in your household, if available
- A copy of your lease or rent agreement
- Recent rent receipt, ledger, or proof of what you owe
- Recent pay stubs, benefit statement, or income proof
- ODSP, Ontario Works, CPP, OAS, or other benefit statement if you have one
- Recent bank statement, if the program asks for it
What to say when you call
“Hi, I found your housing support program and I want to check if I can apply. Can you tell me the current rules, documents needed, and the next step?”
Use the official page first, then call 211 if you are not sure where to start.
What to do next
Check off each step as you go — we'll remember where you are.
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The fine print
More details about the money
Full exemption from development charges for each qualifying affordable unit. The dollar value equals the DC that would otherwise be payable, which varies widely by municipality and unit type. Affordability thresholds are updated annually via the provincial Affordable Residential Units bulletin.
Amounts and eligibility change. Confirm the current figure with the program administrator through the official link before you rely on it.
The full eligibility rules
Developers/landlords creating residential units intended to be 'affordable residential units' for at least 25 years from first rental or sale. For rented units, the Act provides the unit is affordable if the rent is no greater than 80% of average market rent (the province's annual Affordable Residential Units bulletin further refines the qualifying rent, using the lesser of an income-based rent or 80% of average market rent).
Good to know
Verified. Bill 23 text confirms the 25-year DC exemption (s.4.1(8)) and the 80%-of-average-market-rent affordability standard (s.4.1(2)). Niagara's implementation is verified live: full DC exemption, 25-year on-title agreement, $3,500 application fee (By-law 2025-65), applies to Regional DCs payable on or after June 1, 2024. Note Niagara also flags that the separate 'attainable' housing exemption is NOT yet operable pending provincial definition. The 'lesser of income-based rent or 80% AMR' wording comes from the annual provincial bulletin, not the bill text itself.
People also look at
Funding for affordable housing
MLI Select (Multi-Unit Mortgage Loan Insurance)
CMHC's multi-unit mortgage loan insurance product that rewards landlords/developers who commit to affordability, energy efficiency and/or accessibility with better financing terms (higher loan-to-value/cost, longer amortizations and recourse flexibility).
Up to $15,000
Oxford County My Second Unit (Secondary Dwelling Forgivable Loan)
An Oxford County program offering homeowners an interest-free, forgivable loan of up to $15,000 to help plan and finance a secondary, self-contained dwelling unit in their home (e.g.
Up to $45,000
Affordable Rental Housing Program (City of London - Dollars to Doors)
London's incentive that provides up to $45,000 per new affordable rental unit (as a loan) to offset construction costs, in exchange for keeping rents at 80% of CMHC average market rent for at least 25 years.