The Blue Mountains council is getting serious about addressing the housing crisis in the town.
At its committee of the whole meeting on May 15, council approved a total of $375,000 in spending to prepare a Housing Needs Assessment and a Comprehensive Housing Needs Strategy.
CAO Shawn Everitt recommended a multi-phase approach to the issue in a report to council. In separate resolutions, council approved immediately spending $25,000 on a sole source contract to Parcel (the same firm the town is working with on its official plan update) to immediately prepare a Housing Needs Assessment. The funding will come from the planning reserve fund.
Council then passed a second resolution that OK'd the pre-approval of $350,000 in the 2024 budget to hire a contract staff person to prepare a request for proposal for a consultant to assist the town on the development of a Comprehensive Housing Strategy. In a best case scenario, the strategy would be completed by late 2024.
Everitt said over the years a lot of good work on the housing issue has been done by a number of different local and regional agencies. However, he said the bottom line is that the town needs better and more complete information to get the ball rolling towards a solution.
“I can tell you with strong commitment: we’re in a housing crisis. We have to have the data. We have to have clear next steps,” said Everitt. “This crisis is going to take a long time to get out of and it’s only going to get worse.”
Members of council did express some concerns on the town approaching the issue by ordering up yet another study.
“The public’s appetite for studies is waning,” said Coun. Alex Maxwell. “But it needs to be done. I understand that.”
“We’ve been studied to death,” commented Coun. June Porter.
Everitt said he fully understands those sentiments, but said the town needs full information to move on the issue.
“This is a plan the public wants to see,” he said.
Coun. Paula Hope said it’s imperative for the town to be fully prepared to deal with the housing situation, as there is no guarantee provincial support is coming.
“It’s really important we do everything we can. There is a lot of confusion with our masters, the province is giving us many different signals,” said Hope. “We have to make our own way.”
Everitt also told council that town staff would be looking at the possibility of submitting an application to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation housing accelerator fund to help offset the costs of preparing the two housing reports.
“It is every intention of staff to be looking for other funding sources,” said the CAO.
The committee approved both resolutions on the housing reports unanimously in 6-0 votes. Coun. Peter Bordignon was absent. The issue will come to council for final ratification at the next regular council meeting on May 29.
