Ontario's housing crisis is being exacerbated by local opposition to new developments, as seen in Port Dover and Muskoka, where proposals for thousands of new homes and jobs face resistance from residents who argue the locations are unsuitable.
Port Dover Development Proposal
In Port Dover, a plan to create a new community with 7,000 to 11,000 new jobs and 10,000 new homes, including schools, community services, and parks, has drawn criticism. Opponents cite concerns about congestion, noise, and dirt, with one woman quoted by the Toronto Star saying, “I’m not opposed to development. It’s just the wrong place.” This sentiment exemplifies the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) mentality, according to columnist Jerry Agar.
NIMBYism Across Ontario
Similar opposition has blocked projects elsewhere, such as a condo development on a dive bar site and developments in the Greenbelt. Community groups like the Beaches Residents Association of Toronto work to redirect housing elsewhere. A CBC report from 2022 highlighted that residents want a say in what gets built, but Geoff Kettel, president of the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods, noted that voicing concerns often leads to being labeled a NIMBY, which he called “pejorative.” Kettel said, “We’re regular citizens. Everybody has the right to express themselves and to be part of the community.” However, Agar argues that when arguments devolve to “I have a right to my opinion,” reasonable debate has ended.
Impact on Development
Kevin Lee, CEO of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, told CBC that NIMBYism discourages developers, as local opposition can delay or derail projects. “You’re going to have so much opposition that it’s just … not worth the effort,” Lee said. Ontario’s population rose from 13.5 million in 2016 to over 16 million today, intensifying the need for housing.
Muskoka Lake Rosseau Fight
In Muskoka, a proposal to develop land behind waterfront cottages on Lake Rosseau, where entertainer Martin Short has a summer home, faces similar resistance. Short argued, “I’m not saying that people shouldn’t have a right to paradise, I agree with that, but you have to also respect paradise.” Agar likens this to the old saying that an environmentalist is someone who owns a house in the woods and doesn’t want others to have one. He concludes that those who fight change hardest may be selfish rather than merely concerned.
