Gravenhurst Council was advised they need more small housing units, in the October 15, 2024, meeting.

A Housing Needs Assessment conducted by SHS Consulting identified issues related to both ownership and rentals in the Town. The assessment indicated “over 1 in 5 households rent,” and majority are low-income residents faced with ongoing increases in rent in overcrowded older buildings in need of repairs. They added that supports needed from the Town include prevention of evictions, ensuring affordability and that repairs are completed, and providing various dwelling types.

One of the key factors the Town is advised to focus on is increasing small units, which is contrary to the larger family style homes that other municipalities are building. The assessment found that seniors, Indigenous, and homeless are the highest risk groups in Gravenhurst. The consultants added, “Racialized, Indigenous, and women have greater affordable issues.”

SHS Consultant, Christine Pacini, recommended that next steps should involve the Town addressing its “development barriers” and target affordable and purposeful housing, based on its community needs. She said they can do this with consideration to developing policies, zoning restrictions, economic development initiatives, Official Plan policies, and through “considering the need for housing when disposing of community assets,” such as land. She added that further consideration can go into Community Improvement Plans, using surplus lands for housing, permitting additional residential units in development, and creating more initiatives for senior housing.

Community engagement is also a must for understanding current needs of residents, along with investigating funding options from higher government to help with housing initiatives, advised Pacini. She emphasized that next steps must also include a Housing Action Plan, including programs and strategies that prioritize the Town’s housing needs, and implementation goals with a timeline and performance measures to track progress.

Councillor, Christina Hunter, inquired about whether Gravenhurst was different compared to other municipalities in Muskoka. SHS Consultant, Alexa Volkov, said the housing size was different from other communities. She said other areas are looking for larger units for their families, which is the opposite of Gravenhurst where residents seek smaller units for affordability.

Pacini expressed the importance of developing now for economic reasons, with a special focus on “purposeful rentals,” to meet the needs of its residents. Councillor, Randy Jorgensen, indicated that investors want quicker returns for their money, compared to the “purposeful rentals” which can take a long time to see the financial returns. Pacini advised that these rentals may take more time to generate returns, however, generate “more in the long run,” and provide more security for renters. She added that striking a balance is key. “There isn’t one solution to this problem,” she said.