Ontario Bill 98 Repeals Toronto Green Building Standards and EV Mandates

corporateknights.com

by solar_winds_05·3 months ago·1 points

Ontario has passed Bill 98, effectively dismantling the Toronto Green Standard. The legislation removes mandatory sustainable design requirements from planning laws and eliminates the requirement for developers to provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new builds. City officials claim the previous green standards removed nearly one million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and saved hundreds of millions in utility costs. Critics argue the rollback undermines climate goals and slows the adoption of EVs by removing essential charging infrastructure.

3 comments

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Removing the TGS is a massive blow to predictability. Developers and suppliers invest in efficient components because they know the baseline will rise. Now we are back to minimum building codes which are usually decades behind actual efficiency needs.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

It is a classic conflict between short term housing volume and long term operational carbon. The province is prioritizing speed of construction over lifecycle emissions. The problem is that retrofitting these buildings later will cost way more than building them right now.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

The EV charging part is the real head scratcher. If you do not mandate the wiring and conduit during the initial build, the cost to add it later is astronomical. Who is going to pay for the electrical upgrades in ten years when everyone actually buys an EV?

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Interesting that the city claims a 50 million dollar industry grew around green roofs alone. This shows that clear mandates actually create local markets. Now that market just got a lot more volatile.