Wanted: Shovel-ready affordable housing projects.
The City of Orillia and its affordable housing committee have been able to secure approximately $5.15 million in funds to be used towards affordable housing in the community.
Now, the city needs proponents to come forward with affordable, attainable housing development plans.
In February, Orillia received a commitment from the federal government for $4.5 million.
"The $4.5 million is a game changer. We are very lucky to have this," said Cam Davidson, chair of Orillia's affordable housing committee.
Davidson has been working on affordable housing solutions in Orillia for the past 25 years and with the working committee since it formed in 2018.
The committee has been working with the city setting aside money for affordable housing. The pot has grown to $650,000 said Janett McGee, the city's housing coordinator.
The $4.5 million is coming through the second round of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). The goal is to support development of 100 additional affordable housing units in Orillia within three years.
However, the federal government has only released 25 per cent or $1.1 million of the grant funds.
"HAF requires action plans from local governments, unlocking funding to ensure the timely implementation of housing initiative, with subsequent payments upon delivery results," according to a CMHC press release.
Orillia's plan includes nine initiatives. These must be accomplished in order to unlock the remaining 75 per cent of the funds, said McGee.
"One of the initiatives is to create a City of Orillia grant program so that non-profits can apply for the money we've been granted. We are looking to promote the grant program once we have it defined and get it out to the non-profits," she said.
Information sessions and applications will be available this July with a deadline of submissions in the fall.
Another critical initiative is for the city to pre-zone residential lots for up to four dwelling units, said McGee. Currently the maximum number of living units on a single-family home style lot is three.
A public meeting will be held on this topic on March 24 at 12:30 p.m. in the council chambers at the Orillia City Centre at 50 Andrew St. S. A report will be presented and council will make a decision on a pre-zoning bylaw at the following meeting April 7.
"It's a mandatory component of the grant. If we don't pass the four-unit bylaw we've been told we don't get to earn any more of the grant," McGee said.
McGee said city staff has already done an inventory of surplus lands, which is another initiative.
Other initiatives include reducing parking requirements near transit (for non-profits), implementing an e-permitting system and streamlining approvals for non-market and purpose-built rental developments.
"The initiatives lay the foundation to accelerate housing that will help the non-profits," McGee said.
Davidson said the work is very important.
"There is a huge demand for affordable housing," said Davidson.
"Past mayor Ron Stevens was a big proponent of it. Then with Steve Clarke we got a lot done. Now we have Mayor McIsaac and we are getting things done," he said.
Davidson cautions that it takes time to build affordable housing. He said the 250 West St. N. development with 130 affordable housing units, operated by the County of Simcoe, took about 10 years.
"People don't understand how complicated it is. We may not see anything happening visually but stuff is happening behind the scenes. It's not magic," he said.
Davidson is looking for people who live in four-plexes to come and speak at the public meeting to prove that it can work.
The city's incentive fund, organized by affordable housing committee members has been open to non-profit housing applicants since the working group started.
Raising the Roof received $129,000 in city incentive funds toward purchasing Orillia's Post Office in 2023. The federal government donated the building and the post office is now a tenant.
"They are going to use the vacant second floor to build housing units," McGee said.
"This pot of money has really been to the credit of the working group and it's grown to $650,000," McGee said.
Raising the Roof is the only non-profit housing group to apply for those funds so far, McGee explained, because the group has to secure other sources of funding and building is expensive.
Affordable standards come from CMHC. Its view of affordable housing is 80 per cent of market rate. For example, the government says a one-bedroom apartment should cost $1,171.
"We know in our city that's around $1,600 in the private market and it might even be higher," McGee said.
Nationally, the HAF is part of Canada's National Housing Strategy. The second round of funding is a $400-million initiative to assist municipalities that were not selected in the first round. The goal is to build at least 112,000 homes over the next three years.
Provincially, agreements have been reached with 23 local governments, including two First Nations. The closest communities to Orillia receiving funds are Georgina, Caledon, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Peterborough, Seguin Township and Saugeen Shores. The goal is to build 4,200 in the next three years.
For more information about Orillia's attainable and affordable housing visit its website. For more information about CMHC visit its website.