Bill 139: Homes You Can Afford in the Communities You Love Act, 2026

This bill most directly affects residential homebuilders, developers, and renovation contractors working in Ontario who build or retrofit houses, duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings. A small-scale builder or developer — whether running a solo operation or a team of a few tradespeople — who wants to add a secondary suite, garden suite, or convert a detached home into a fourplex will face fewer zoning roadblocks, since municipalities can no longer use lot size minimums, setback rules, floor-to-area ratios, or parking requirements to block those projects. Larger developers targeting midrise projects in cities like Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, or Brampton will find it easier to pursue six-to-eleven storey residential buildings along transit corridors and major roads without needing rezoning approvals or facing appeals from neighbours. Architects, planners, real estate lawyers, and land surveyors advising on infill and intensification projects across Ontario should also expect a meaningful uptick in client demand as these as-of-right permissions reduce approval risk and timelines.