Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF)

Increase Height & Density – Completed

This initiative expanded opportunities for higher‑density housing in areas well served by transit, supporting long‑term growth, and helped create complete, connected communities.

Key Actions

• Permits greater building heights near the Whitby GO Station to encourage high‑rise development.
• Allows four‑storey buildings in other areas identified for transit‑supported intensification.
• Completed a town‑wide Parking Study to support more sustainable and transit‑oriented development.

Inclusionary Zoning – Completed/Cancelled

Inclusionary Zoning generally helps increase the supply of affordable homes by requiring that a portion of new housing near major transit areas be offered at affordable prices. The Town completed an Inclusionary Zoning Housing needs assessment with an external consultant.  Inclusionary zoning was not recommended as a viable option for development in Whitby at this time.  Council supported the recommendation not to implement in Whitby at this time.

Key Actions

• Completed an Inclusionary Zoning Housing Needs Assessment

Urban Area Expansion – Underway

Urban Area Expansion supports future growth by planning for new housing opportunities on additional lands in coordination with Regional and Provincial partners.

Key Actions

• • Working with Durham Region and the Province to expand the developable area in northern Whitby in alignment with the Official Plan.
  • Enables a broader mix of housing forms to meet the community’s evolving needs.
  • Collaborating with external stakeholders to ensure that Whitby land is ready to be developed.

Surplus Land Inventory and Disposition Strategy – Completed

This initiative helped the Town identify, evaluate, and strategically use municipally owned lands to support new housing—including affordable units.

Key Actions

• Created an inventory of Town‑owned lands that could support housing development.
• Established a repeatable framework for partnerships with external organizations to deliver new affordable housing projects.

E-permitting Expansion – Completed

E‑Permitting modernizes the approval process by moving more planning and building functions online, making it easier and faster to submit applications, and obtain approvals.

Key Actions

• Expanded e-permitting tools related to permitting for residential development, enabling digital submission, payment, real‑time status updates, and streamlined review processes.

Advancing tools related to Electronic Plans Reviews and Inspections.

Legal Additional Dwelling Unit Program – Completed

This initiative supports gentle intensification by allowing more residential units on existing properties throughout Whitby.

Key Actions

• Increases permissions from three to four residential units as‑of‑right per lot.
• Provided financial incentives to encourage property owners to add new Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs).

Updates the Town’s Official Plan and Zoning to support expanded housing options.

Build Innovative Greatness (BIG) - Completed

BIG drives innovation in the Town’s development-related processes, encouraging new approaches and technologies that speed up municipal activities and reducing barriers.

Key Actions

• Streamlines approval processes to support local development
• Lean Yellow Belt Training and Innovation Training for staff, for application to real work problems and processes as a result of development and growth.

Launch of a Pre-Reviewed ADU Design Catalogue in collaboration with the City of Pickering.

Low Carbon & Climate Resilient Whitby - Underway

This initiative ensures that Whitby continues to support it’s climate commitments and resilience goals. Work under this initiative targets both Municipal capital infrastructure projects as well as residential development.

Key Actions

• Advances implementation of the Climate Emergency Response Plan.
• Supports the Whitby Green Standard and Zero Carbon Whitby initiatives, integrating sustainability into new development.

Supports the Incentive Program under Durham Greener Homes.

Community Improvement Plan (CIP) - Underway

The CIP stimulates revitalization and new residential development in key areas, including Downtown Whitby, by providing tools that encourage mixed‑use and community‑oriented growth.

Key Actions

• Supports the Community Improvement Plan which promotes mixed‑use residential development in priority areas.
• Helps create vibrant, complete communities through strategic incentives and planning tools.