Premier Doug Ford’s government is taking another swipe at green standards while nixing a requirement for municipalities to build climate change goals into their official plans.

The new changes would roll back municipal enhanced development standards that require developers to improve park access, add tree canopy, install electric vehicle-ready parking spots, apply bird-friendly window coating or implement other mandatory sustainable design features beyond what’s set out in Ontario’s building code or required to maintain health and safety.

Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack says the proposed changes outlined in last week’s transit and housing bill will help to standardize building requirements and get homes to market faster and more affordably.

But critics argue that further rolling back green standards will block municipalities from a tool to make their communities more livable and resilient to climate change impacts, from extreme heat to flooding. At the same time, they say, the change may pad the profits of some developers, expand the use of natural gas and saddle home and building owners with future retrofit costs.

Halton regional councillor Jane Fogal called it a “gut punch.” She said Halton Hills, like other municipalities, took up a green standard in part because the province’s building code was lagging behind on sustainable design and energy efficiency.

“We’re getting a better product for the people that buy the houses. A house that’s better built, that is more efficient, that’s less costly for them to operate,” said Fogal.

“There’s nothing to say that you will get a better town if the developers can just do whatever they want to do.”