Major affordable housing projects moving forward, County council says

Simcoe County council met on Tuesday with the region's housing affordability crisis top-of-mind.

During the meeting, councillors heard updates on some of the projects underway that are meant to increase the County's housing supply.

One of those projects is the multi-million dollar seniors' campus in Beeton.

"This is a significant project for the County of Simcoe and certainly for this area," Warden George Cornell tells CTV News. "At the end, when we complete the project, there will be 180 new seniors home units and some independent homes as well."

Officials hold a design for a planned seniors' residence located at 8th Line in Beeton, Ont. on Wed., May 4, 2022. (Catalina Gillies/CTV News)

Councillors were told the provincial government approved preliminary designs for the project, bringing about 160 long-term care beds, an increase of 34 from what the municipality has available now.

The project is slated to begin a phased opening by mid-2025.

Cornell says construction on the approximately $80 million affordable housing project in Orillia is roughly 40 per cent complete.

In addition to the 130 mixed affordable units, the County is incorporating an idea first implemented at a facility in Collingwood.

"The ground floor here will include services that are important services and necessary services to support the residents," says Cornell. "So we're looking at it as a bit of a hub that will combine some living accommodation along with some essential services that support the residents that are living in the Orillia campus."

Cornell anticipates the site will be ready for occupancy by winter 2024.

WASTE CART PROGRAM

County council were also updated on the automated garbage cart program.

Staff conducted a satisfaction survey with residents after the program launched to a chorus of complaints over the size of the garbage carts.

The County of Simcoe rolls out a new waste cart system. Wed., Oct. 27, 2021 (Kraig Krause/CTV News)

Cornell says the survey showed a nearly 90 per cent satisfaction rate.

"Moving to the automated cart services has certainly improved our reliability from a collection point of view, and as I say great to see the satisfaction from the residents throughout Simcoe County in terms of the use of the carts, the ease of the carts, and the collection frequency that we put into place," says Cornell.