Barrie mayor urges action to address housing affordability crisis after shocking presentation
Barrie city councillors got a shocking but not surprising reality check into the affordability challenges facing many residents looking to put a roof over their heads.
On Wednesday evening, councillors were given a presentation by the firm leading the city's Housing Needs Assessment. Phase One of the three-phase project is complete, focussing on collecting the data showcasing the affordability crisis in the city's housing market.
"If the current situation had been around when I was a kid, would I have had a place to live? The answer is probably no, and so we need to take the bull by the horns on this," Mayor Alex Nuttall said to CTV News. "I think the city needs to come to the table on policy to make it easier to build, understanding what the effects are of our policies on the development and building sector and how we can remove some of the barriers that are in place."
Amongst the presentation's key findings were the limited options in the market for moderate and low-income households for both ownership and rental properties as well as the limited supply of rentals available.
Over the last 20 years, the city has only added 350 net new units to its rental supply.
"The next time we have this presentation, there need to be solutions," the mayor said during Wednesday's meeting.
The project will now shift to phase two, focusing on action and implementation. The mayor said he hopes to have the project completed by the end of 2023 so councillors can consider the findings and recommendations as it plans the 2024 budget.
Councillors were also briefed on the County of Simcoe's Homelessness Prevention Strategy and an update from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit as it recovers from pressures forced by the pandemic.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
developing Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Biden OKs US$60M in aid after Baltimore bridge collapse as governor warns of 'very long road ahead'
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore warned Thursday of a 'very long road ahead' to recover from the loss of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge as the Biden administration approved US$60 million in immediate federal aid after the deadly collapse.