The year 2022 could easily be called the year of affordable housing talks in the Town of The Blue Mountains.
No issue was more discussed and debated at the council table than the affordable/attainable housing crisis. As home prices continue to rise and rental properties become more scarce, the issue is not going away.
At one point in the year, former Mayor Alar Soever said the future of the community depended on addressing the housing crisis.
“This community is quickly becoming dysfunctional because of the cost of housing. We’ll soon cease to function,” Soever said. “This community will be a ghetto of wealthy retired people.”
The town’s biggest move to address the issue, the proposed Gateway project at 171 King Street, has continued to inch towards shovels in the ground.
The past year saw considerable controversy and progress on Gateway and as the year closes the RFP process to find a design/builder is near completion.
Below is a timeline of major Gateway-related events of 2022.
May 24, 2022 - Gateway announced project will be three storeys
The Blue Mountain Attainable Housing Corporation says it will not pursue a four-storey project at 171 King Street and will instead work on a three-storey building.
An update from corporation executive director Jennifer Bisley prompts a conversation about the concept change.
Mayor Alar Soever said the change to three storeys was made to avoid further delays to the project. Soever said the four-storey concept likely would have generated an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal causing a major delay.
“It removes the substantial risk of delay. It’s unfortunate it’s come to that. It’s a way to move forward quickly,” he said.
The three-storey proposal will have the same number of units on the property, but the building will cover more of the site.
May 31, 2022 - public criticizes Gateway proposal
A public meeting about the proposed transfer of the lands at 171 King Street to the housing corporation results in public criticism of the Gateway project.
Council hears from a number of different residents who question the project and its finances and ask for more details.
No decisions about the land transfer are made at the meeting.
June 7, 2022 - council increases loan to housing corporation
The Blue Mountains votes 7-0 in favour of increasing the town’s loan to the housing corporation by $760,000.
The move brings the total commitment for the project to $1.2 million.
The move is meant to ensure the housing corporation has funds to operate during the election period and the process to select a design/builder for the project.
“What the corporation needs is a reliable source of operating funding during the development period,” said Coun. Rob Sampson.
June 28, 2022 - council approves transfer of land for Gateway
Council votes unanimously in favour of transferring the 171 King Street property to the housing corporation.
The vote comes after considerable debate around the council table.
The resolution included several conditions that allow the town the option to reacquire the property or recoup the value of the property should the attainable housing project not go forward or if the housing corporation chooses to sell the land. Staff estimated that it would take six to eight weeks to finalize the transfer.
July 1, 2022 - RFP issued for Gateway design/builder
The Gateway project formally moves into the next phase with the housing corporation issuing a Request for Proposal for a design/builder for the project.
The project includes 84 total rental units, a minimum of 50 per cent of which must be attainable, and a commercial component as well.
The RFP is by invitation. The housing corporation previously conducted a pre-qualification process and four companies have been invited to respond. They are: Buttcon Limited, Matheson Constructors Limited, Percon Construction Inc. and R-Hauz Housing Solutions.
Bisley says the RFP is a big moment for the project.
“We got it all together. It’s a critical document,” said Bisley in an interview. “It communicates the community’s aspirations and objectives so we can get the best proposals possible.”
The RFP calls for submissions to be submitted by September 2022. The deadline is eventually extended into December to allow for the new council to consider the proposals received.
Oct. 31, 2022 - housing corporation meets with province re: funding
Bisley attends a council meeting to update the town about the progress on the project.
Bisley and housing corporation board chair and Coun. Rob Sampson note that the housing corporation has met with the provincial government to discuss funding opportunities for the project.
“Our approach has been extremely well-received. The question was: what is the support from the town?” said Sampson. “Our ask is heading in the right direction. It would be helpful for the town and council to write a letter of support for the project.”
