Toronto, ON, March 31, 2026 — David Miller, co-chair of Elbows Up for Climate—a campaign representing over 280 mayors and councillors calling for bold, ambitious federal climate policy— made the following statement about an attack on Green Development Standards by the Ontario government.
“Ontario’s new Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act (Bill 98) is a step backward, making it harder for Ontarians to access safe, affordable and climate-ready housing. The government’s attempt to strip municipalities of their authority to enact Green Development Standards (GDS) is both a serious encroachment on municipal jurisdiction, and an own-goal against helping to secure our communities’ futures.
Green development standards are about building homes right the first time. Cutting corners on new construction locks in higher energy bills, greater risks from heat waves and flooding, and expensive retrofits down the road—costs that will ultimately be borne by residents.
Almost twenty years ago, Toronto introduced its Green Development Standards to deliver high-performing, affordable-to-operate buildings; in 2010, they became mandatory. I was proud to serve as Mayor of a city leading this innovation, and to see 15 municipalities across Ontario follow suit—progress that is now at risk.
The decision to eradicate these successful tools, years after they were proven, is political—not strategic. This is all the more evident at a time when other governments are responding to energy precarity by strengthening building standards, not weakening them. In the United Kingdom, new homes will be built with solar panels and heat pumps, recognizing that climate-safe homes are essential infrastructure for a stable, affordable future.
Mr. Ford and his government must stop this unnecessary overreach. Undermining municipal authority to enact strong green building standards simply makes it harder to ensure protection against energy price shocks, extreme heat and flooding that our community members face at an increasing scale.”
-30-
For additional context:
Read about Elbow’s Up for Climate’s five bold policies for a stronger Canada
Discover Ontario Climate Caucus’ resources for municipalities.
Learn how developers are meeting Toronto’s GDS without increasing costs
About ELBOWS UP FOR CLIMATE (elbowsupforclimate.ca)
Elbows Up for Climate is a campaign representing more than 280 mayors and councillors who believe in the importance of investing in climate-forward national projects that will protect our country from the dual threats of tariffs and climate change. Climate Caucus (climatecaucus.ca) acts as the campaign’s anchor partner: a non-partisan, national non-profit working at the intersection of local democracy and climate policy, supporting hundreds local elected leaders across Canada.
For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Katie Harper, katie.harper@springboardinc.ca