Development charges are one-time fees collected from developers by municipalities at the time a building permit is issued.

The fees collected help pay for a share of growth-related capital infrastructure needs, such as transportation services, other services related to a highway including facilities, vehicles and equipment, protection services, parks and recreation, library services, growth-related studies, and stormwater management.

The City collects development charges on behalf of the City, the Region of Durham and Durham area school boards.

2021/2022 Development Charges Pamphlet 

 

2020 Development Charges Update Study

2019 Development Charges Update Study

2017 Development Charges Study

The Development Charges Act, 1997 requires that a study be undertaken no less than every 5 years.

The consolidated version of the Development Charges Background Study incorporating the Background Study as amended and approved by Council on December 11, 2017 is available for review. 

Development Charges By-law

The final Report to Council on the 2017 Development Charges Background Study  and By-law 7595/17 were passed at the Council meeting of December 11, 2017. Development Charges rates presented in Schedule "C" and "D" in By-law 7595/17 approved to be effective January 1, 2018. 

On December 16, 2019, Council approved By-law 7727/19 amending Schedules "C" and "D" of By-law 7595/17.  This amendment is approved to be effective December 17, 2019.

On December 14, 2020, Council approved By-law 7802/20 amending Schedules "A" and "C" of By-law 7595/17 and By-law 7727/19.  This amendment is approved to be effective December 15, 2020.

 

Development Charges Interest Policy

January 1, 2020 Changes to the Development Charges Act (DCA)

Please refer to Report to Council FIN 09-20 for information pertaining to the changes to the DCA, and the related DC Interest Policy.

Interest Rate

Section 26.2 of the DCA prescribes that the total amount of a development charge (DC) is determined based on the day of application for an approval of a site plan development or the day an application for a zoning amendment to a By-law. As a result, the municipality may charge interest on the DC from the date of application to the date the DC is payable.

The interest rate to apply is as follows:

Application Date and Interest Rate
January 1 - June 30, 2020    3.75%
July 1 - December 31, 2020  2.25%
January 1 - June 30, 2021    2.25%
July 1 - December 31, 2021  2.25%

Exception to Interest Calculation

There will be no interest calculation in the following situations:

Two-year time lapsed from application date to building permit issuance date, on which the DC rates in effect are the rates at the time the building permit is issued;

or

In the absence of site plan or zoning by-law application, DC rates in effect are the rates at the time the building permit is issued. 

Treasurer's Statement

For additional information, please view the June 2021 Council Report re Development Charges Reserve Fund - 2020 Statement of the Treasurer for the Year Ended December 31, 2020.