There’s lots of work to be done to improve housing affordability in Collingwood, and council got a glimpse this week of what’s to come.
During their committee of the whole meeting on Jan. 27, the town’s housing co-ordinator Claire De Souza did a presentation on the progress the town has made over the past two years on the town’s affordable housing master plan, and the work staff has planned on the file for 2025.
“Awesome report. Awesome progress is being made,” said Mayor Yvonne Hamlin. “We’re lucky to have a staff person devoted to affordable housing.”
The Town of Collingwood’s first-ever affordable housing master plan was approved by council in October 2023, and provided a set of 27 recommendations that has guided the town’s work since it was endorsed by council.
After first launching the first-of-its-kind Rapid ADU Deployment program in 2023, the town expanded the program in 2024. The town also passed a new zoning bylaw this year, which allows four units on residential lots and reduced parking minimums (No. 1 recommendation in the plan).
The town also made moves last year on No. 27 in the plan, which was developing criteria for seed funding a not-for-profit. They awarded $25,000 earlier this month to launch the Collingwood Housing Initiative.
In November, the town supported the opening of the County of Simcoe’s supportive rapid rehousing program at 199 Campbell St. run by CONTACT Community Services, which serves vulnerable seniors.
The town also put forward two of its owned properties for consideration for the County of Simcoe’s call for new affordable housing development projects, with the county choosing a proposal for Birch St. to bring in a 30-unit modular housing project, expected to open in 2026 with construction planned to start this year. This was part of recommendation No. 7 in the plan, which was to use public land to deliver new affordable housing.
In 2024, the town started work on a few items in the plan that are still in progress and are ongoing, including shortening approval timelines, preparing an incentive framework for affordable housing, expanding the concierge program, partnering with other municipalities, collecting, monitoring and reporting data and engaging with the development industry.
In 2025, the town is planning to make moves on enacting a new rental replacement bylaw (No. 3 in the plan), starting a public education campaign about affordable housing (No. 5), and encouraging innovation in housing form and funding (No. 13).
A rental replacement bylaw can be used to require developers to rebuild the same number of affordable rental units and allow tenants back in with the same rent following the demolition and/or redevelopment of a rental housing unit.
The Town of Collingwood’s actions in the affordable housing space are focused on households earning moderate levels of income, as anyone earning below that amount is already covered by the County of Simcoe’s efforts on shelter, social and affordable housing.
According to most recent data shared in the report, moderate incomes refer to a total annual household income between $73,999 and $109,341 for homeowners, and between $47,712 and $68,034 for renters.
Housing starts in Collingwood over the past two years have increased in that time. In 2023, there were 81 new housing units started based on building permits issued and 23 additional residential units built in Collingwood. In 2024, there were 246 units started, and 22 additional residential units built.
Average market rent last year was $2,279 across all unit types in Collingwood, and the average home cost $837,624.
Council voted unanimously in favour of receiving the report and for the town to continue work on implementing all the recommendations out of the affordable housing master plan.
To read the whole report outlining all the actions Collingwood has taken, is taking or plans to take on affordable housing, click here.