Housing Choices Through Multi-Sector Financing
Affordable Housing – Building Neighbourhoods for Everyone
Affordable housing touches nearly every aspect of community life. It affects our local economy, workforce, mental health, transportation networks, social well-being, and overall quality of life.
When people can afford to live where they work, businesses can attract and retain employees, families can put down roots, and communities remain vibrant and diverse. When housing becomes unattainable, the impacts ripple throughout the entire community—longer commutes, labour shortages, fewer opportunities for young families, seniors, and our essential workers.
Housing is more than a roof over our heads. It provides stability, security, and a sense of belonging. It supports positive mental and physical health outcomes and helps build strong, connected neighbourhoods where residents can thrive.
In The Blue Mountains, addressing housing affordability is essential to maintaining the balanced community we all value. A prosperous community depends on ensuring that the people who teach our children, care for our seniors, serve in our businesses, and contribute to our local economy can also afford to call this community home.
The Challenge is not Drawing the Blueprint; It's Financing the Build
Creating affordable housing is often compared to building a bridge across a funding gap. No single plank is strong enough to span that distance on its own. Municipal incentives, government grants, private investment, non-profit partnerships, and innovative low-cost financing must all work together to make projects financially viable.
When these pieces are layered together, they create a pathway that allows affordable housing to move from concept to construction and, ultimately, into homes for the people who need them most.
I remain committed to supporting the creation of 215 affordable housing units by 2030 and will continue advocating for the partnerships and funding tools necessary to achieve that goal. Through persistence and collaboration, we have already seen positive results, including a significant expansion 53% in rental housing opportunities through local development initiatives such as McPherson Builders. Programs such as Home Opportunities who I introduced to the town remain a work in progress, but they demonstrate the importance of maintaining momentum and pursuing innovative solutions.
My understanding of the importance and alternative financial tools i.e. Community Wealth, Land Trusts etc. tools has been strengthened through my volunteer work with the Social Finance and Housing Group, an arm’s-length group of the Institute of Southern Georgian Bay, which has hosted numerous online learning events on community wealth, social finance, land trusts, and housing solutions. This experience has reinforced my belief that affordable housing requires practical financing tools, local partnerships, and sustained leadership.