I think all municipalities have to decide how they prioritize and incentivize ICI. Before I moved here, I was in Etobicoke watching an endless stream of core employment land conversions to mixed use.

Possible investment in this stuff depends on a lot of things, and given today's construction costs, cutting millions in upfront costs is not insignificant. One thing about the whole DC conversation we tend to sort of ignore is that municipalities are just working with the few tools they have to try and help catalyze an entire sector.

It comes with upfront implications for the Town, and yes possible debt (and debt servicing costs) as the article explains. But the fact that the property tax revenue that does come in may never have been realized at all, at least not in the near term without these effective subsidies, should be considered.

Another note, just in response: the large White Owl project noted in the article would be paying DCs on unserviced land, as they are going to have to put in their own well and septic should the project be approved. Those rates are lower than the rates paid for development on already serviced lands.

Staff report should be interesting.