City continues to take action to create affordable housing options

BRANTFORD, ON – With over 1,450 households on the community housing waitlist, the need for more affordable housing continues as urgent. To help with the increasing demand, the City of Brantford Social Services Committee is pleased to announce positive progress through the Mayors’ Housing Partnership Task Force and the Housing Master Plan. A total of 179 affordable housing units are currently either completed, or at various stages of development, to add to the much-needed inventory of housing our community needs.

By the end of 2021, with the current construction plans, the 179 units will meet 35 per cent of the goal in the 10-year Housing Master Plan, which calls for 506 units total by the end of 2030.

“Expanding our community’s supply of affordable housing is absolutely critical to offsetting current higher rent costs and decreasing the number of individuals experiencing homelessness,” says Maryellen MacLellan, Director of Housing and Homelessness Services, City of Brantford. “We are optimistic about the progress made so far and are on track to meet the ambitious goals of the 10-year Housing Master Plan.”

The affordable supportive housing units at Marlene Ave were funded by the City of Brantford and through a Provincial Home for Good grant, which also provides for annual operating costs. CASE Home, the four studio apartments currently underway on Stinson Avenue, were funded in part by the City of Brantford and a Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative grant. The planned development at 177 Colborne Street West is funded through the housing capital reserves and third-party funding. Staff are also working towards a new development at Trillium Way in Paris, and are awaiting capital funding decisions.

The estimated 70 units proposed at 346 Shellard Lane would be funded from the sale of city-owned land, including the potential sale of the former Arrowdale golf course lands. This will provide the necessary revenue to start meeting the increasing demand for affordable housing in Brantford. The ongoing property taxes from the anticipated development of the former Arrowdale golf course lands, along with the expected National Housing Strategy grants, will help with the 327 additional units that are needed to meet the bold goal of 506 total units by 2030. Providing people with a place to call home makes a huge difference in the quality of life of those who, in some cases, have waited over five years for affordable housing.

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Media Contact:

Heather Carvalho | Acting Manager, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Brantford | hcarvalho@brantford.ca

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