The Port Elgin United Church and Southampton United Church have joined together to form the United Housing for All (UHFA) team in response to the Town’s work regarding the affordable and attainable housing crisis that the community of Saugeen Shores is facing.
The joint committee formed in 2021 is made up of members from each church congregation and has two goals:
1) To assist in educating our community about housing issues and possible solutions to those challenges
2) To advocate for positive steps and actions which may mitigate and, over time, put this crisis behind us
At Saugeen Shores Council meeting on February 14th, committee members Mark Havitz, John Van Bastelaar and Susan Brown presented a delegation and spoke in favour of the proposed 170-unit apartment development on Goderich Street in Port Elgin.
Havitz pointed out that the housing crisis is “driven by multiple factors” including new residents who are moving to Saugeen Shores and, as a result, driving up house prices to where they now exceed $700,000, making it almost impossible for local residents born and raised in the community, and many of whom work in the service industry, to stay in their hometown. “This is becoming a disgrace.”
He went on to say that new residents bring “civic pride, community spirit, life experience, new ideas and disposable income.”
“The proposed high-density development represents an integral part of the complex mosaic necessary to successfully address affordable and attainable housing challenges in Saugeen Shores,” said Mark Havitz. “Unfortunately, below market rents are not included in the plan … people forced to move away or who cannot afford to join us in the first place, represent irreplaceable losses. The most vulnerable in that regard deserve respect and attention from everyone, especially those in power.”
John Van Bastelaar said that the UHFA is to make people aware and understand and to think of different ways to address housing.
Susan Brown, a life-long resident of Saugeen Shores, said that “people often don’t become familiar with issues until they are faced with them directly and the lack of attainable housing over the past two to three years in Saugeen Shores is such an issue.”
She pointed out that Saugeen Shores, with a rental vacancy rate of .5%, there are virtually no rental units and those that are available are out of reach for anyone working for minimum wage or slightly higher. “This situation is not right,” said Brown. “A community should mean people working together to create a safe environment for all. I don’t want Saugeen Shores to become an ‘exclusive’ community affordable only for those with six-digit incomes. I want it to be an inclusive community where everyone can have a safe roof over their heads regardless of income. We need to house our service industry workers … our community cannot function without these important people.”
Brown added that high-density housing such as apartment buildings are part of the answer and having units that are below market value is also a key. “When it comes to high-density housing, the ‘not in my backyard’ (NIMBYism) needs to change. People who need low-cost housing are not ‘ne’er do wells’/. They are seniors on fixed incomes and single mothers trying to support a family. NIMBYism marginalizes people based on their housing situation. It’s a community’s responsibility to provide a hand-up for those on a more difficult journey than our own.”
Mayor Luke Charbonneau encouraged the UHFA committee to submit their presentation and comments to the Municipal Planning Committee. “As the new development referenced is in the planning stage, Council cannot discuss that particular development here.”
Councilor Cheryl Grace thanked the presenters for “stepping up to the plate and showing leadership in this superbly important issue … I know we have a lot to work on and it’s really important to have that community participation of people like you.”
Deputy Mayor Don Matheson said that the delegation had “… hit the nail on the head. I would daresay that prices have increased to where a single home is now closer to $800,000. This Council has made the promise to try to get more affordable housing here and, working with groups such as yours, we can hopefully bring more units to town. As Susan said, those who grew up here and work for minimum wage cannot stay here and that’s not right.”
Vice-deputy Mayor Mike Myatt also commended the group for their work. “You and your advocacy are going to be a big help … there are a lot of big needs in our community and we have a housing situation that we need to correct. Members of the community need to stay here and your group’s advocacy is a tremendous message.”
He pointed out that Council has established a Housing Fund, is working with developers, has changed building heights for high-density housing and that the Mayor is also working at the County level on the housing issue. “We also cannot forget about Habitat for Humanity housing.”
Councilor John Divinski also encouraged the presenters to keep coming back to Council. “Let us know what is happening. There will be other developments coming so keep on top of it and keep coming back.”
In order to begin implementing recommendations from the Attainable Housing Task Force, the Town has begun to proceed in the short term with a zoning by-law amendment to remove hurdles to building more attainable and affordable housing.
These amendments include:
- Removing hurdles to the installation of accessibility features (example ramps, handrails)
- Allowing secondary dwelling units anywhere in Town subject to conditions
- Including single detached, duplex dwellings and semi-detached in R1 and R2 zones subject to conditions
- Modifying standards for townhouse dwellings
- Permitting increased height along the Goderich Street corridor
The proposed changes remove barriers for different forms of housing throughout Town and will support construction of more housing choices. Further and ongoing amendments may be submitted in the future as the Town considers amendments to the Saugeen Shores Official Plan and/or conducts additional research into how to implement zoning provisions which facilitate the creation of attainable and affordable housing.
All of the proposed changes conform to the Saugeen Shores Official Plan. There is no overriding or explicit provision(s) in the Saugeen Shores Official Plan or Bruce County Official Plan which prohibits or regulates the zoning by-law in ways contrary to what is outlined in the proposed amendments.