Consultation: Peterborough Housing Strategy

As required by the Places To Grow Act, the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and municipal Official Plans, the City and County must develop a Housing Strategy to meet the needs of all residents, with a particular emphasis on affordable housing. As Service Manager for Housing, the City is leading development of this Strategy for both City and County.

Our community, like others, is experiencing the effects of climate change, urban sprawl, traffic congestion, and environmental degradation. The Province and the Municipalities are developing strategies for dealing with these challenges. Housing is fundamental to a healthy community; the Housing Strategy will address the need for greater urban density and intensification, as well as the needs of housing households of low and moderate incomes, seniors and persons with special needs across the continuum of housing from homelessness/housing insecurity to home ownership.

A community Steering Committee has been formed to advise on the process of research, consultation and drafting the final document that will go before Councils for approval - likely before summer.

In addition to the contribution of Steering Committee members, a number of consultations in the community have been held or are to come. These include meetings with the Supply Sub-Committee of AHAC, the Peterborough Social Planning Council, social housing provider representatives, the Homelessness Agencies Co-ordinating Committee, Social Services Division staff, Planning Department staff, Our Space users, County Planning staff, the Township Clerks/Treasurers and Chief Building Officials, PACAC, the Council for Persons with Disabilities, and the Landlords Association.

Some questions to consider from local research:
• What support systems for newcomers (i.e.: immigrant services, ESL programs) are required to ensure a quality of life for new immigrants in the community?
• Is Peterborough today prepared/willing for any significant influx of immigrants/cultural diversity? What planning is necessary to facilitate a changing demographic/community composition?

A consultation for the general public will be held on Thursday, 11 March 2010, 6 - 8:30 p.m. at the Public Library (lower level). Your presence would be most welcome.

Contact:
Cheryl Lyon
Programs Officer
Housing Division
City of Peterborough
(705) 742-7777 ext. 1501
clyon@peterborough.ca

The full InfoNotes document with additional consultation questions can be found here