The Town of Georgina has released a Housing Needs Assessment, a critical step in understanding and addressing the community’s housing challenges. The report is designed to guide future housing policy and development, ensuring Georgina meets the diverse needs of its growing population.
“The completion of the Housing Needs Assessment marks an important achievement for the Town of Georgina,” said Mayor Margaret Quirk. “It provides invaluable insights into the issue of housing affordability and accessibility within our growing community. By understanding these challenges, we have the opportunity to create a more inclusive and diverse housing landscape. Our goal is to make Georgina a leader in sustainable housing development. Every resident deserves a safe, affordable place to live, and we are committed to fostering a vibrant, strong and healthy community.”
The completion of the Housing Needs Assessment aligns with the Town’s Strategic Plan, ensuring balanced growth and supports funding requirements through the Canada Community-Building Fund and the Housing Accelerator Fund. The findings from this assessment will help inform local housing policies, infrastructure planning and future investments to ensure Georgina meets the housing needs of its residents.
Key findings:
- Housing affordability and core housing need: Affordability is the most significant housing challenge affecting 23.5 per cent of Georgina households. Renters face an acute impact, with 40.4 per cent experiencing unaffordable housing conditions compared to 19.6 per cent of homeowners.
- Rental market pressures: Georgina has a shortage of purpose-built rental housing and long wait times for subsidized units. Rental supply has not kept pace with demand leading to rising rents and limited options for low-income renters.
- Housing supply and trends: Current housing stock is predominantly single-detached homes, accounting for more than 83 per cent of all units, lacking diversity in more affordable housing forms.
- Future housing needs: To accommodate anticipated growth by 2041, Georgina needs between 3,473 and 5,481 additional housing units to be constructed.
The Town is pursuing initiatives aimed at expanding affordable and rental housing supply including the creation and implementation of a Financial Incentive Program for homeowners to build Additional Residential Units (ARUs), reserving and targeting servicing allocation specifically for rental and/or affordable housing projects, and reviewing Town-owned lands that can be set aside for purpose built rental and deeply affordable housing. The Town is also looking at new policies and/or zoning provisions to facilitate higher density and/or alternative forms of housing and working with the development industry on the provision of Additional Residential Unit (ARU) options as part of their developments.
The Town is also working to streamline development approvals through the implementation of a Development Tracking System, expand the delegation of approval authority to staff over certain development approvals, fast-track development approvals and building permits for affordable housing and purpose-built rental developments, and reduce development charges and application fees for affordable and/or rental housing. The Town is working with York Region to permanently fund and operate a seasonal shelter in Georgina and exploring partnerships and opportunities to build affordable and/or transitional housing.
To learn more, visit georgina.ca/housing.