Local home builders are speaking out as the City of Quinte West mulls over a proposed increase to development charges.
Consultants put forward a report recommending development charges increase by over 150 per cent to $37,000 per single family house from just $15,000.
The report outlined ongoing discussions and consultations with developers and builders by municipal staff.
However, speaking on The Lorne Brooker Show on 800 CJBQ, CEO of the Quinte Home Builders’ Association Ruth Estwick says she had not received a call to participate in the study.
She says builders and developers should be more involved in the conversation surrounding development charge increases.
“That’s one of the things that we’re saying to municipalities, is we need more time, like, get us involved in the beginning,” Estwick tells The Lorne Brooker Show.
“When you start talking about all these background studies, not just development charges studies, any growth-related studies, our industry pays for them, let us be involved in the process.”
A similar increase is being proposed in Stirling-Rawdon.
Speaking with The Lorne Brooker Show, John Van Huizen of Van Huizen Homes says home builders will have a tougher time finding value in developing homes.
“We scratch our heads in terms of what actually is the value that we see out of this,” Van Huizen said. “You know, when a municipality is collecting that kind of charge, and to tell me that Stirling Rawdon should be collecting the exact same money as Quinte West because they’re going to have very similar infrastructure charges, just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
You can listen to the full interview below:
