Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Town of Whitby will receive $24.9 million to fast track about 650 housing units over the next three years.
Whitby’s Action Plan commits to nine local initiatives that will support building a range of different types of homes and allowing various densities to meet the diverse needs of the community.
“$24.9 million from the housing accelerator fund will be instrumental in helping the Town of Whitby create 656 new housing units,” said Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy. “As Whitby faces significant growth in the coming years, it is more important than ever to ensure we have attainable, affordable housing options available to our residents.
“Everyone in our community deserves a home they can afford. This funding is an important step towards addressing the housing crisis we face locally and across Canada.”
Whitby will use nine initiatives:
- Increase Height & Density – to support new housing units close and connected to transit
- Inclusionary Zoning – to support more affordable housing units near transit
- Urban Area Expansion – to expand the available land for development
- Surplus Land Inventory and Disposition Strategy – to inventory lands currently owned by the Town to determine possible partnerships and lands that can be dedicated to housing development
- E-permitting Expansion – expansion of online services that support housing permits and development
- Legal Additional Dwelling Unit Program – to expand the number of residential housing units on residential lots
- Build Innovative Greatness (BIG) – to streamline processes and approvals and drive innovation to support housing development
- Low-Carbon & Climate Resilient Whitby – to support sustainable development through the implementation of the Town’s Climate Emergency Response Plan, Whitby Green Standard, and Zero Carbon Whitby projects
- Community Improvement Plan – to spur mixed-use residential development in Downtown Whitby
Also, modular homes and alternative construction materials will be encouraged, along with purpose-built rentals, and higher housing density around major transit stations and other areas of Whitby.
“We are excited and proud to announce this partnership with Whitby today,” said Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “By allowing four units as-of-right, expediting the approval processes and incentivizing the use of alternative construction materials during the building process, the Town will ensure that Whitby has more of the kind of homes we need to tackle the housing crisis.”