As work continues to bring more affordable housing to Orillia, council will consider extending the city’s housing co-ordinator position during 2025 budget deliberations.
The city’s current housing co-ordinator, Janette McGee, began her role last year on a two-year contract set to expire next June.
The position was initially created to help develop and update city affordable housing policies, bring more affordable housing to the city, provide staff support, and more, and the city’s affordable housing working group asked at Monday’s council meeting that council consider extending the position.
“Our working group not only recommended that the contract be extended, but they also suggested that there be a permanent position,” said Coun. Jay Fallis, speaking on behalf of working group chair Cam Davidson.
Fallis stressed the importance of having a housing co-ordinator on staff.
“Affordable housing has been a big priority for this council (and) strides have been taken,” he said. “However, it was emphasized that to ensure that those positive steps that we have taken continue … this position really should be explored going forward and the position maintained.”
He said the position has been instrumental in developing long-term plans to bring more housing to the city, such as the “newly minted” affordable housing plan, highlighting the position was also key in bringing the rapid rehousing project to 175 West St. S.
“The example that was also referred to, and one that we can directly point to as a real-world experience, was the modular units at 175 West St., where that housing co-ordinator position did play a big role in ensuring that that was not just accomplished, but accomplished relatively smoothly,” he said.
The working group’s report to council also stressed the position can “keep a finger on the pulse” of housing opportunities and government funding opportunities, on top of facilitating projects and co-ordinating with various city divisions.
“If the position is lost, the work remains and would need to be absorbed by other staff, and may not be prioritized,” the report states.
Following Fallis’s statements, council agreed to “support” the housing co-ordinator position and forward discussions to the 2025 budget deliberations.
