Development-charge waivers promised growth. What does the record show?

Development-charge forgiveness was presented as a way to grow population, jobs, tourism, affordable housing, and City revenue. The record shows household bills rising faster than incomes, little population change, and a Harbour West affordability target that remained a developer pledge.

First, follow the money

A development charge is a one-time payment on a new building. It helps pay part of the cost of roads, water pipes, sewers, and stormwater systems needed for that building. When the City waives the charge, the developer pays less and the infrastructure still has to be funded. The City says the remaining growth-related costs must be covered through property taxes and/or water, wastewater, and stormwater rates. City of Owen Sound: Development Charges

That is the first test of the growth argument: did the waiver create enough new value to ease costs for residents?

During Owen Sound’s 2015–2019 development-charge holiday, the typical combined water and wastewater bill rose about 12.6%. Estimated inflation-adjusted household income grew about 3.9% over the matching period, so the utility-bill increase was about 3.2 times the income growth. The water-rate portion stayed level; the wastewater surcharge drove the combined increase. Water-rate history · Income comparison

Published property-tax increases were 17% from 2014 to 2022, compared with estimated income growth of 7.9%. From 2018 to 2026, property taxes rose 20%, compared with estimated income growth of 7.6%. These figures show household tax and utility costs outpacing incomes during the periods examined. Tax and household-income comparison · Water-rate history and method

These citywide comparisons cover periods that overlap the waiver holiday. A direct account of each waiver would show its public cost and the homes, jobs, or revenue it delivered.

Growth: more buildings, but how much more growth?

Owen Sound’s 2023 development-charge study estimates that the City’s population rose by just 75 people, from 21,740 in 2007 to 21,815 in 2022. The same study estimates 780 more occupied dwellings over those years, while average household size fell from 2.29 to 2.14. These are citywide estimates. 2023 Development Charges Background Study

The result challenges the easy equation: waive fees, grow the population, and expand the tax base. The study estimates more occupied dwellings while the population stayed nearly level.

Affordable housing: was the public benefit secured?

In 2019, Council waived $246,772 for a proposed 68-apartment conversion of the former Strathcona School and $109,383 for a proposed 19-unit project. Those amounts and unit counts show what Council approved. A public follow-up would be needed to show what was completed, occupied, affordable, and actually delivered in return. Bayshore Broadcasting: 2019 waivers

Harbour West is the clearest recent test. Council extended a $1.1-million development-charge exemption for a proposed 224-apartment rental project. At the 2025 groundbreaking, the City said 10% of the apartments would be affordable. In October 2026, the Owen Sound Current reported zero affordable-rent designations among the first 152 apartments offered for rent. At that point, the 10% target remained the developer’s stated plan, separate from a binding City affordability condition. The project is under construction; its final 224-unit result will show whether the developer reaches that target. City groundbreaking announcement · Owen Sound Current report

Reported average rent rose from $816 a month in 2016 to $1,267 in 2025, about 55%. Over the same endpoints, the combined residential tax bill on a property assessed at $100,000 rose from about $1,602 to $1,972, or 23%. The City says tenants pay part of a landlord’s property taxes through rent. Apartment buildings also have a separate tax class. RentSafe’s Owen Sound report · CMHC rental-market table · City budget guide

Residents can judge the public return when agreements set rents, unit counts, delivery dates, and affordability periods.

Jobs, tourism, downtown, and services: where is the evidence?

Across the debate, candidates presented development-charge and building-fee incentives as a path to affordable housing and broader growth, including jobs, tourism, downtown businesses, and City services. Mayoral debate recap Residents have described visible homelessness downtown as among the worst they have seen. These conditions hurt the visitor experience and tourism by making downtown feel less safe and welcoming. The records reviewed show waiver amounts and project proposals, with no evidence that the incentives delivered the promised affordable homes, jobs, tourism growth, downtown business growth, or service improvements.

The City’s current City-wide apartment charge is $9,732 per unit. A public account comparing waived fees with completed homes and rents, local business activity, tax revenue, and service costs would let residents judge the return. Tourism reporting should separate visitor stays and spending from temporary housing placements; hotel occupancy alone combines both. City of Owen Sound: current charges

A better test for future waivers

Development-charge relief can help a specific project when it buys a clear public benefit. The City should state the amount, the homes or jobs expected, the infrastructure cost, and the deadline. If affordability is part of the reason for relief, the agreement should set the unit count, rent, delivery date, and affordability period. Then residents can compare the promise with the result.

My platform supports targeted relief for homes serving people who need affordable housing, alongside affordable construction and a vacant-home tax to return empty homes to use and increase housing supply. Affordable homes and land access

The public question is simple: What did residents receive for the fees the City gave up? So far, the record shows bills rising faster than incomes, a population that barely changed, and a Harbour West affordability target stated by the developer. Broad growth claims need clear results. Residents deserve the cost, the promise, and the delivered result side by side.