2023 NEWSMAKERS: Town makes moves on affordable housing

The standout issue for many residents in the 2022 election was affordable housing, and the Town of Collingwood managed to make many strides on that front in 2023.

The biggest news on the affordable housing front this year was the town revealing its first ever affordable housing master plan, which went through public consultations this past summer with 42 recommendations, before being pared down to 27 recommendations presented to councillors in full in October.

The 200-page plan compiled by N. Barry Lyon Consultants details 27 initiatives to increase affordable housing for middle-income renters and homebuyers. If the consultants’ original 42 recommendations had been implemented, it would have cost taxpayers $3 million annually.

However, at their meeting to discuss the plan on Oct. 30, staff said that would be too much for taxpayers to bear, and suggested endorsing the 27-point plan while setting aside $10,000 to facilitate fast-tracking zoning bylaw amendment approvals, $10,000 to enact a new rental replacement bylaw, $25,000 for an affordable housing public communications campaign and $40,000 for a development process review as part of the 2024 budget.

Also included in the 2024 budget is a move to expand the town’s rapid accessory dwelling unit program by $212,572.

Both suggestions were moved forward to 2024 budget discussions and have been implemented as of the latest draft, with more budget discussions occurring in January.

Some of the suggestions made by the consultants with no associated financial impacts included offering simple pre-approved off-the-shelf building designs, exploring the potential for bonuses for higher-density building and encouraging non-traditional construction techniques. These suggestions are now being worked on at the town level.

One of the key questions sought to be answered through the affordable housing master plan was whether the town should, effectively, become a landlord and build units themselves to add to the stock. The consultant recommended that the town should not become developers or housing operators via a housing corporation, land trust, housing co-operative or by becoming landlords.

The town was able to provide a breakdown of the developments on deck that have pledged this year to add affordable/attainable units to the town’s supply:

• 655 Hurontario Street: In April, council approved a site plan control agreement for this four-storey 50-unit apartment building, with the developer agreeing to set aside two affordable units.
• Blue Fairway Phases 5 and 6: In July, council approved a site plan control agreement for this 249-unit residential development, consisting of 177 freehold townhouses, 72 apartment units in two four-storey buildings, shared private roads, visitor parking, a gym pavilion and amenity areas. The developer committed to include accessory dwelling units in 14.5 per cent of the townhouse dwellings.
• 560, 580 and 590 Sixth Street: In December, council approved a request from the developer to allow greater density in the development in exchange for a pledge to have 10 per cent of the development be set aside as affordable units. The proposal is for four four-storey apartment buildings consisting of 231 units and 70 townhouse units. A municipal park is also included as part of the draft plan of subdivision. Now approved, the builder will add a fifth storey on the apartment buildings to make room for the affordable units.

Also this year, developer John Welton of Sunvale Homes pledged a $1 million contribution to the town coffers to be used for affordable housing efforts, which was a condition of settlement for Sunvale's case before the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) for their Portland St. development.

While the full terms of settlement are not being released by the OLT or the town, the contribution to the affordable housing reserve was announced by the town on July 20.

In October, town treasurer Monica Quinlan clarified to councillors that the town does not yet have the funds in hand, and that the developer will pay the town once the homes in the Portland St. development are sold.

First approved by council in Sept. 2022, Collingwood’s rapid accessory dwelling unit (ADU) deployment program continued in 2023, and aims to make it easier for residents to build apartments onto their existing homes, garages, or properties.

The program offers one-window service for a streamlined process, pre-approved detached ADU designs and financial grants to help property owners with start-up costs. The town touts the program as the first of its kind in Ontario.

The town has issued 12 grants so far through the program. As of Oct. 31 of this year, the town’s building department has issued 20 permits for accessory dwelling units adding to eight permits issued in 2022 since the program was launched.

Earlier in December, the town announced a new online tool ADUSearch where property owners in Collingwood can do a search to find out if their land meets the minimum zoning bylaw requirements to build an accessory unit.

“Affordable housing is a complex issue where a multitude of actions are possible,” the town’s housing co-ordinator Jenn Rae told CollingwoodToday this month. “For the Town of Collingwood, 2023 was a year dedicated to establishing programs for immediate results and developing a comprehensive plan to support a sustainable community now and into the future.”

Looking into 2024, Rae says work will continue at the town level using the affordable housing master plan as a guide.

“We view the municipality’s role in housing as a marathon, not a sprint, with the master plan as our long-term plan and road map to helping our community,” she said.