When I sat down to speak with Mayor Bernadette Clement at the end of 2020, she said that one of her top files for 2021 would be housing in the City of Cornwall. This makes sense, and it is going to become a big issue very quickly. When tackling the issue of housing, something that should not be lost in the shuffle is affordable housing for our seniors and those in need.
There is going to be a need to build a lot of homes to meet the demand that currently exists in this city and the surrounding area. People want to live here, but we should not forget about those who already do, and might be on a long waiting list for a home.
We already saw the Cornwall housing market become red hot in 2020, with no signs of slowing down. Contributing factors to this are for one, the COVID-19 pandemic. The average housing cost in August of 2020 was up by more than 34 per cent from the same time the year before.
The pandemic has led to a lot more people working from home, which in turn has made where someone chooses to call home more fluid. No longer does someone have to live in Toronto to have a six-figure salary with a multi-national company, and why would you want to. This pandemic has discouraged large gatherings and events, so why not move to a smaller, more affordable, quieter community and keep that well-paying job at the same time.
Meeting the demand of housing for those with jobs moving to Cornwall, can be a lucrative proposition, and one that should be pursued. These new residents to Cornwall will hopefully bring their families, will provide growing tax revenue for municipal services, as well as a brand-new depth and breadth of experiences that will further enrich the culture of our city.
Cornwall and the United Counties of SD&G sorely need affordable housing, and while it might not be as glamourous or lucrative as building new subdivisions full of model homes for those moving to Cornwall from Ottawa, or Toronto, it is just as important. We, as a city, would be doing a disservice to those who grew up here, worked here, and had their families here, if we forgot about them when they needed us the most, when they needed a home.
At the end of last year, a consultant from Colliers International who was hired to review the state of social housing in Cornwall by City Council stated that the City would need to add 741 affordable housing units to its stock over the next 10 years to meet its needs. To meet that goal, the Cornwall and Area Housing Corporation would have to spend $182,371,070 in the next five years, and $92,618,712 in the five years following that.
The Cornwall and Area Housing Corporation is a service that operates both in the City of Cornwall and the United Counties of SD&G. The Corporation has 1,713 affordable and low-income housing units across Cornwall and SD&G. Of those 1,713 units, 1,232 are located in the City of Cornwall.
Not only will building more affordable housing units give people who are in need a home, which should be a basic human right, it will also improve the local economy, as the Colliers consultant explained to Council.
“The most direct connection between affordable housing and job creation is through the employment opportunities generated by construction and home repair,” read a statement from Colliers in their presentation. “There is strong evidence that quality affordable housing also generates improved social and outcomes for low-and-moderate-income households.”
Mayor Clement told me in December that this year she wants to see a committee formed to deal with the issue of housing in Cornwall. This committee must consider and find a balance between building homes for those moving here, and building homes for those who already live here, and need it the most.
What do you think readers of the housing issue in the City of Cornwall? Email me a Letter to the Editor with your opinion at nseebruch@seawaynews.media
