BILD: Let's look toward 2021 with optimism
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The year is also a significant milestone as the association celebrates its 100th anniversary
We have said goodbye to 2020 and most of us are no doubt happy about that. Marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on our lives and society, it was a year of loss, isolation and hardship for people in the GTA, Ontario, Canada and around the world. Fortunately, we have many reasons to be optimistic as we look forward to 2021.
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First of all, as more people get vaccinated and more types of vaccine become available, the light at the end of the tunnel will get closer. Gradually, the virus will loosen its hold and life will begin to return to a semblance of normal.
While still taking precautions, we will perhaps be able to gather with loved ones and enjoy some of the social interactions that were so absent from our lives last year.
Our industry will build on last year’s remarkable innovation and collaboration with municipalities, which resulted in the process improvements and efficiencies that kept housing approvals moving in a virtual environment.
The Ontario government’s positive changes to provincial housing regulations will begin to be felt at the municipal level, as municipalities across the GTA work to update processes and bylaws to meet the new rules.
When this work is completed, we can expect to see the effects of the province’s leadership in this area, including increased housing supply and choice, and their corresponding impacts on the housing market.
This year is also a significant milestone for the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) and our members, as we celebrate the Association’s 100th anniversary. It was in 1921 that our forerunner, the Toronto Home Builders’ Association, was founded in a small tea shop in downtown Toronto.
Ever since, we have worked diligently with provincial and municipal governments on the decisions and policies that have shaped the GTA. With nearly 1,500 member companies, BILD is now the largest local home builders’ association in Canada, and one of the largest in North America.
With so much to look forward to in 2021, let’s embrace the year with optimism. I wish you all a very happy New Year.
Dave Wilkes is President and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD). For the latest industry news and new home data, follow BILD on Twitter, @bildgta, or visit www.bildgta.ca.
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