Saugeen Shores Men’s PROBUS Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month at Port Elgin Legion and delves into a wide variety of topics by inviting a keynote speaker to address his or her area of expertise. October’s guest speaker was the Chair of United Housing for All, Catherine Diane (Mini) Jacques.
The ‘United Housing for All’ is a group in Saugeen Shores looking at the problem of homelessness and affordable housing initiatives. The group has grown in membership and, over the past year, has advocated for affordable housing initiatives, particularly in the Town of Saugeen Shores.
United Housing for All Mission Statement is: “To be a voice for the community of Saugeen
Shores, raising awareness regarding the housing crisis by educating, advocating for, facilitating viable solution and encouraging and supporting volunteers” and, when it comes to the housing crisis being faced by many, few are as passionate as Jacques.
In July, at a Housing Crisis Information evening held at Faith Lutheran Church in Port Elgin, Jacques brought to light several statistics that, for some, were startling.
PROBUS members were also surprised to learn some of those same statistics, such as 40 per cent of those who work in Saugeen Shores, particularly retail, service industry, offices, education and health care workers, do not live in the community due to the high costs of home purchasing and rentals. Many were also shocked to learn that, in Saugeen Shores alone, more than 600 households are on the Bruce County housing wait list, made up of singles, families and seniors.
Jacques also pointed out however, that Saugeen Shores was a leader in the Province for developing innovative steps when it comes to the housing crisis. “The town has been working in partnerships with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and builders and on town-owned affordable housing projects through the CMHC Housing Accelerator Fund. In addition, Council took the steps to provide rent subsidies of $590/month through Bruce County to 40 Saugeen Shores families on the wait list,” said Jacques.
She also explained that, among the projects undertaken by the municipality is the Bluewater Lands development on town-owned land that will see 140 low rise apartment and townhouse units by 2027/28. “The project is supported by the Housing Accelerator Fund with a focus on long-term, affordable and sustainable housing, and that will also include a new municipal park.”
“To afford the rents being charged,” said Jacques, “the following shows the incomes required to meet rentals and other necessities of life:
One bedroom rental: Rent $1515 to $1900 Income $60,000
Two bedroom rental: Rent $1734 to $2340 Income $85,000 – $151,000
Three bedroom rental: Rent $1992 to $2500 Income $75,000 – $140,000
“For an individual working at current minimum wage ($17.20), a one bedroom rent should be $830.00, and the numbers are becoming even more dire,” she said.
There were many other statistics that surprised the group however, Mini pointed out that that town is recognized as one that is taking affordable housing initiatives. “As far as I have researched, Saugeen Shores is the only municipality in the province that is moving like this.”
Jacques also said that she has been a tenant in various types of housing herself having lived in 18 places since 1989. “Because I am on the Housing for All, people have said to me that ‘they don’t want those kinds of people in our neighbourhood’. I tell them that ‘these people’ are young families, seniors who have worked hard all their lives … these are people who have money but not enough to get the housing that they are looking for. When looking at the Bluewater development, they are going to have 40 – 45 per cent green space where many developments only have 25 per cent.”
She also pointed out that the town, in 2024, put in place a policy that affordable housing would stay in place for 50 years. “An affordable townhouse or co-op that was sold, it would again become part of the affordable inventory. The town has been setting policies so that people understand that this will affordable when they move in.”
“I am staying on Affordable Housing for All. Affordable housing means there will be more people for retail, more office workers, more student teachers coming out with large debts and more working people helping to make our community even better. We have a housing crisis.”
