Affordable Housing Master Plan
Consultation has concluded
Affordable Housing Master Plan 2024 Workplan
The Affordable Housing Master Plan 2024 Workplan was approved by Council on June 3rd, 2024. The 2024 Workplan represents staff's recommended prioritization and ambitious timing of AHMP initiatives based on current resources, competing projects and legislative responsibilities. Please check out the report here: P2024-13 AHMP 2024 Workplan.
Town-Owned Properties for Affordable Housing
Enabling the construction of affordable housing projects is an important investment in the Town of Collingwood’s sustainability and contributes to creating a complete community. Making surplus public land available at no- or low cost is an effective tool as part of a financial strategy that the Town can use to help subsidize the development of new affordable housing. Council, staff, the Affordable Housing Task Force, and the community at large are eager to see additional action.
At the November 6, 2024 Council meeting, Council requested additional clarity around the options for the Town-owned lands. Staff provided several options towards shovels in the ground to help Council make an informed decision. Staff are eager to help facilitate an affordable housing build on Town-owned lands but are mindful of budgetary and resource limits. As such Staff recommended a partnership with the County of Simcoe as the quickest and most financially feasible path to the development of affordable housing on the two identified Town-owned land parcels, with a caveat that if an expeditious County construction project is not available, Council revisit the future of the lands as potential donation to a not-for-profit entity. As an additional option, staff also proposed a way that the Town can demonstrate leadership in facilitating pilot or demonstration projects for innovative housing types on smaller parcels of land, positioning Collingwood again as a provincial leader in affordable housing. Staff Report CAO2024-01 includes the analysis and recommendations for the two Town-owned properties.
On January 22nd, Council instructed Staff to submit two Town-owned properties to the County of Simcoe for consideration in their Call for Proposals for Municipal Partnerships in Affordable Housing Developments (RES-055-2024). Staff have since formally submitted the two Town-owned properties to the County for consideration.
Affordable Housing Master Plan Project Concluded
The Town of Collingwood’s Affordable Housing Master Plan was accepted by Council on November 6, 2023. With this political support we will shift from planning to implementation, with the AHMP guiding our work in affordable housing over the next several years.
We would like to acknowledge everyone who contributed to this milestone, including the expert consulting team at N. Barry Lyon Consultants, the dedicated Affordable Housing Task Force, and the many stakeholders and community members who gave generously of their time and energy to discuss this important issue.
Affordable housing is a complex problem where a multitude of actions are possible. Having a balanced, clear, prioritized and costed strategy ensures that resources can be used effectively on key outcomes rather than spreading efforts across many initiatives, making limited gains in any one area. The AHMP will be our guiding light, encompassing policy, process, regulatory changes, financial approaches, and advocacy initiatives crucial for realizing impactful affordable housing solutions within our community. The cumulation of these efforts will result in what we are all looking for – shovels in the ground and more affordable housing options that are critical to sustaining and supporting our community.
Staff are currently taking action on time-sensitive recommendations and will return to Council early in the new year with a detailed and prioritized work plan for 2024 and beyond.
Complex problems are inherently messy and affordable housing is anything but simple. The housing crisis involves financial, economic, social, and cultural systems that interplay and connect in ways that are challenging to understand and at play out at a variety of scales, locally and globally. The AHMP gives us our best path forward through the noise and chaos, giving us balanced, clear, prioritized actions to take as a municipality, as well as a call to action for other stakeholders in our community.
With an issue this complicated, we know that the road to solutions will not always be smooth, but the AHMP is set up to help us evaluate our efforts over time by measuring results and feeding them back into this evolving document. We will start, course correct where needed, and work our way toward the end goal. We hope you stay engaged and continue to collaborate with us throughout this journey.
As staff develop the workplan to implement the AHMP, there will be future opportunities for stakeholder and community engagement. This webpage will be archived in the coming weeks so please subscribe to our development community newsletter to make sure you don’t miss future updates.
Final Affordable Housing Master Plan - October 2023
On October 30, 2023 the Affordable Housing Master Plan was presented to the Town of Collingwood's Committee of the Whole. Watch the meeting here:
The Committee voted on items that impact the 2024 Budget and staff will come back to Council with a workplan for 2024 and a vision for 2025 and beyond, in the new year.
The Town of Collingwood is grateful to all stakeholders and community members who have contributed to the project. Your input was valuable and impacted the content of the Plan that will ensure we have a vibrant, thriving and sustainable community – today and well into the future.
Read the final Affordable Housing Master Plan Report:
The Town of Collingwood, like many municipalities across Canada, is grappling with the challenge of affordable housing. To address this pressing issue, the Town initiated an Affordable Housing Master Plan (AHMP) project. This plan, prepared by N. Barry Lyon Consultants (NBLC), is based on NBLC’s expertise in housing, development and economics, coupled with extensive community and stakeholder consultation. The result is a comprehensive, costed and prioritized strategy for the Town of Collingwood to support increased affordable housing opportunities in the community, with a Council-approved focus on moderate income households.
Helping our community thrive
Collingwood has so much to offer - a beautiful setting that inspires a healthy lifestyle with an active trail system, a lively waterfront, an inclusive arts community and more.
But the very things that makes Collingwood such a wonderful place to live, along with other Provincial and National trends, are also driving up housing prices - especially as the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated housing struggles with an influx of people relocating here. The lack of affordable housing has social and equity impacts and is a significant factor that makes it difficult for local employers to attract and retain workers. You'll see this today in the help wanted signs or reduced hours of operation, but what does our community look like in the future if we don't do something now?
The Affordable Housing Master Plan will give the Town of Collingwood prioritized, costed and actionable direction to play its role in addressing the affordable housing crisis. Together, we will roll up our sleeves to help our neighbours and ensure that we have a vibrant, thriving and sustainable community - today and well into the future.
Draft Strategic Options Report - August 2023
We are pleased to share the next stage of work in the Town of Collingwood’s Affordable Housing Master Plan process. N. Barry Lyon Consultants (NBLC) has released their Draft Strategic Options Report for public comment.
This report follows several months of considerable effort, building from the Affordable Housing Task Force’s 2021 recommendations, developing a comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment, conducting community and stakeholder engagement, and accessing research, expertise and best practices in housing. The result is an extensive list of supportable high-level strategic options and draft recommendations which will be further refined through continued consultation.
The final report coming this fall will drill down on the recommendations with a greater level of detail around costs and prioritization. We expect that some recommendations will be considered for inclusion in the 2024 budget cycle for immediate action and staff will bring a multi-year action plan to Council for review in early 2024.
Despite there being many ideas on how to approach the affordable housing crisis, there is no one magic bullet to solve it and no one entity or government can do it alone. The final Affordable Housing Master Plan will provide the Town of Collingwood with a focused, costed and prioritized list of actions that are within the municipality’s scope and expertise, for the most gains on the ground.
Check out the report below or watch the video of our recent public consultation. Thank you to everyone who participated in the session and/or provided written comments on the draft strategic actions. Commenting is now closed and NBLC will evaluate all comments during their next phase of work and the preparation of the final Affordable Housing Master Plan.
Read the Draft Strategic Direction Options Report:
Watch our Public Consultation Recording from August 15, 2023:
(Please note that the video starts just after the 5 minute mark.)
Latest Project Updates - June 2023
Housing Needs Assessment Released
N. Barry Lyon Consultants (NBLC) have finalized an updated Housing Needs Assessment for the Town. The assessment is a technical and data driven document that has incorporated revised census and market data, offering an overview of sales and rents across the Town as of 2022/23. It highlights the impact of rising interest rates, construction costs, and market fluctuations. Additionally, it reflects the current state of affordable housing, considering recent Provincial changes, particularly those related to definitions.
Affordable Housing Master Plan - Virtual Session Recording from June 6, 2023
On June 6, 2023, we were joined by over 75 community members for a virtual information session. NBLC shared the insights from their Housing Needs Assessment and citizens asked questions and shared their thoughts in this first engagement opportunity. The session was recorded and a copy is now online for viewing. Although we tried to get to everyone's questions during the session, there were several that we were not able to address. Those questions and answers can be found here.
What does the Town of Collingwood consider "affordable housing"?
The term "affordable housing" is often used interchangeably with "social housing", but they are two different things. Social housing is coordinated by the County of Simcoe and it is a category that includes public housing, cooperatives, and non-profit providers that receive government funding to assist with rent subsidies and operating and capital costs. The County is generally responsible for planning, funding and managing social housing programs where rents charged are based on income, and provides services for people experiencing homelessness.
Affordable housing is not typically seen as a local municipal issue, however Council and staff believe that action can and should occur at all levels of government, in collaboration with employers, local community groups and the general public.
The Town of Collingwood's affordable housing efforts focuses on households that earn moderate levels of income. (Moderate income refers to households between the 4th and 6th income deciles. The income deciles are specific to household incomes of Collingwood residents.)
- For moderate income homeowners, that annual household income range is approximately $74,000 – $109,000, which translates into an affordable purchase price of $248,000 - $366,000 based on a maximum of 30% gross income being directed to housing costs.
- For moderate income renters, that range is cut nearly in half, with household incomes at approximately $47,000 – $68,000, for which an affordable monthly rent is $1,200 – $1,700 based on a maximum of 30% gross income being directed to housing costs.
Why do we need an Affordable Housing Master Plan?
The Affordable Housing Master Plan (AHMP) will be a key pillar to a strong and sustainable Collingwood. The plan builds on the Affordable Housing Task Force's 2021 Housing Needs Assessment which addressed the seriousness of the housing crisis in Collingwood. The AHMP will help us drill down what the Town's role is in providing or facilitating affordable housing. The plan will provide Council with recommendations for a focused path forward and the tools required to implement those recommendations.
How can I get involved?
There will be many chances for public and stakeholder input during the Master Plan process and we want to hear your ideas! Please watch this page and Town social media for updates on how you can be involved.
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Collingwood developing an Affordable Housing Master Plan
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April 3, 2023
The affordable housing crisis is challenging communities across Canada. The Town of Collingwood believes that action can and should occur at all levels of government, in collaboration with local employers, local community groups and engaged citizens. That is why the Town is developing an Affordable Housing Master Plan - a ‘made-in-Collingwood’ solution that will give the Town prioritized, costed and actionable direction to help address our local housing crisis.
“Simply saying we need more affordable housing is not enough,” says Mayor Yvonne Hamlin. “Collingwood is ready for an action plan, and I’m pleased to announce today that our Affordable Housing Master Plan will give us that clear and focused path forward to ensure that we have a vibrant, thriving, and sustainable community – today and into the future.”
The Affordable Housing Master Plan builds on the work conducted by Collingwood’s Affordable Housing Task Force – an advisory body to Town Council and consisting of a group of dedicated volunteers who advocate for and champion the advancement of affordable housing objectives.
The development of a Master Plan has kicked off with a thorough update of the data collected in the Affordable Housing Task Force’s 2021 Housing Needs Assessment. This update is currently underway and includes revising the 2016 census data contained in the previous report with 2021 census data and income levels. A comprehensive market survey of the rental, resale and new home sale market is also being conducted to provide a snapshot of current Collingwood-specific market pricing, trends, and characteristics, including the impact of rising interest rates.
The true power of the Affordable Housing Master Plan will come from the intentional community focus and collaboration. Surveys, public meetings, focus groups and targeted interviews will be scheduled in the coming weeks for residents, builders/developers, community groups, local partners, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders.
“There isn’t one magic bullet solution to solve this complex problem,” says Doug Linton, Chair of the Affordable Housing Task Force. “The solution lies in collaboration between all levels of government, local employers, the not-for-profit sector, private developers/builders, and individual community members who are willing to step up and act as champions for this important issue. We look forward to supporting the Town’s upcoming engagement activities and to seeing a plan that is built on collaboration and community.”
Public engagement details will be released in the coming weeks. In the meantime, community members are invited to join the conversation at engage.collingwood.ca/affordable-housing. Share your ideas in the community forum – a safe space to provide information and resources to help build community knowledge about affordable housing. Or share your story and tell us how the affordable housing crisis has impacted you.
Quick Facts about Affordable Housing in Collingwood
- The term "affordable housing" is often used interchangeably with "social housing", but they are two different things. Social housing is coordinated by the County of Simcoe, and it is a category that includes public housing, cooperatives, and non-profit providers that receive government funding to assist with rent subsidies and operating and capital costs. The County is responsible for planning, funding, and managing social housing programs where rents charged are based on income and provides services for people experiencing homelessness.
- Affordable housing is defined as shelter costs that do not exceed 30% of gross household income.
- The Town of Collingwood's affordable housing efforts focuses on households that earn moderate levels of income. (Moderate income refers to households between the 4th and 6th income deciles. The income deciles are specific to household incomes of Collingwood residents.)
- For moderate income homeowners, that annual household income range is approximately $70,000 – $98,000, which translates into an affordable purchase price of $248,000 - $391,000 based on a maximum of 30% gross income being directed to housing costs.
- For moderate income renters, that range is cut nearly in half, with household incomes at approximately $36,000 – $51,000, for which an affordable monthly rent is $900 – $1,300 based on a maximum of 30% gross income being directed to housing costs
- Not having enough affordable housing negatively impacts our community. A lack of affordable housing:
- leads to a lack of diversity
- puts our future sustainability at risk
- makes it difficult for businesses to find and keep staff
- contributes to food insecurity and increased stress, and
- causes health problems and increases the strain on health and social services.
- When there is adequate affordable housing, the entire community benefits. Sufficient affordable housing:
- leads to an increase in diversity and equality,
- improves community wellbeing and vibrancy
- reduces the incidence of homelessness
- creates stability for families,
- improves health outcomes
- reduces strain on health and social services
- sustains our local economy, and
- stabilizes and sustains our local workforce.
Project Documents
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Affordable Housing Master Plan Report - October 2023.pdf (1.8 MB) (pdf)
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CAO2023-13 AHMP Staff Report.pdf (8.61 MB) (pdf)
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Draft Strategic Options - Public Consultation Meeting #2 Presentation Deck (1.02 MB) (pdf)
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Strategic Direction Options Report - August 2023.pdf (1.61 MB) (pdf)
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Follow Up Q&A from June 6 Session.pdf (179 KB) (pdf)
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Housing Needs Assessment - June 2023 (3.85 MB) (pdf)
Videos
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The Affordable Housing Master Plan was presented to the Committee of the Whole on October 30, 2023.
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Approximately 85 community members joined us in person and online to better understand NBLC's Draft Strategic Options Report. NBLC has developed 42 draft recommendations for the Town to address the Affordable Housing Crisis. The final report coming this fall will drill down on the recommendations with a greater level of detail on cost and prioritization.
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Over 75 community members joined us virtually for our Affordable Housing Master Plan Information Session on June 6, 2023. This session, which was co-hosted by the Affordable Housing Task Force, provided an overview of the need in our community and allowed time for questions and answers with attendees. This is the first in a series of engagement opportunities planned for the summer of 2023.