A three-year, $178-million intended investment by the Ontario government towards affordable housing has led to mixed reviews.
The March 14 announcement – a result of submissions to the Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy by organizations as CMHA Ontario – resulted in key proposals from the province. Chief among them is the potential for a $100-million commitment in new operating funding for housing allowances and support services to assist up to 4,000 families and individuals in supportive housing over the next three years.
Over the long term, capital funding will back the construction of up to 1,500 new supportive housing units, with operating assistance eventually assisting up to 6,000 households.
In our submission regarding the strategy, CMHA Ontario determined affordable public housing requires continued government funding and operating subsidies to keep rents low and have enough units to meet demand.
In London, Ont., the goal is to build 1,200 more affordable units, according to the London Free Press.
“In my opinion, we need more tools in our toolbox to make sure we’re providing enough affordable housing,” Mayor Matt Brown told the paper.
“We all need to recognize that we need to build a better community for everyone and that’s why it’s important to work with the private sector.”
The proposed legislation permits communities to establish inclusionary zoning policies. This means new housing proposals would require developers to include a certain percentage of affordable units in order to be approved.
Greg Suttor, a housing researcher with the Wellesley Institute, told CTV the news helps Ontario keep pace with other provinces.
“It will tend to create more of a social mix in development,” he said. “For example, in downtown Toronto … if new development only serves the upper half of the income distribution, that’s not as healthy as if we build cities that house a bit more of everybody.”
However, not everyone was overjoyed with the prospects.
CTV noted that detailed information, such as percentage requirements and definitions of “affordable,” were not available Monday. CTV added it will likely be years before inclusionary zoning is in place in any Ontario communities.
“But talk is easy,” NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo said in a statement. “Let’s see action. Let’s see legislation, let’s get it to committee, and make sure it’s good enough to actually help families. I’m calling on the minister to pass legislation this spring before the legislature breaks.”
The London Home Builders’ Association said there are many issues to resolve with inclusionary zoning.
“We would be willing to sit down and talk about how it would look. There’s a lot of question marks,” home builders’ president Jake Draper told the Free Press.
“If they’re mandating that a certain percentage is affordable, that difference in market value is going to come from somewhere. It’s either going to cost the other people in the developments or somewhere. It’s not just pulling something out of the air.”