We are requesting that the City of London consider adopting the following policies relating to Additional Dwelling Units:

• Eliminate the minimum dwelling size, and instead follow the Ontario Building Code restrictions only.
• Allow additional bedrooms, over and above the current 5 bedrooms per lot for ADU’s
• Eliminate the restriction prohibiting ADU’s from occupying more then 40% of the Gross Floor Area.

We believe that the creation of Additional Dwelling units is a key component to solving the housing shortage that London, like many other Ontario Cities, is currently facing. Units within existing structures and/or on existing lots can be created more quickly, less expensively, and with less impact on the environment and City infrastructure. ADU’s offer a more ‘gentle’ form of intensification within the core areas of the City when compared to the urban sprawl of new subdivision development. These policies encourage investment to create units where it was not feasible in the past, and in underutilized existing spaces such as basements and backyards. These policies encourage homeowners to create safe, legal suites, rather than often unsafe, illegal units frequently seen prior to the implementation of these policies. For these policies to be effective in encouraging the creation of new dwelling units and meeting the provincial objectives they must be logical and only impose practical restrictions where necessary. Past policies on Secondary Suites and Additional Units within the City have created unnecessary and impractical barriers that have inhibited citizens abilities to create these units. This time around we are requesting that the City implement the above changes to the By-Law regulation to encourage creation of new dwelling units within the City, providing safe and more affordable housing options to serve the needs of our growing population.