Today, the Government of Canada and the City of North Bay announced that they reached an agreement to accelerate the construction of 337 homes over the next three years.
"This work will help spur the construction of 4,188 homes over the next decade. This agreement will provide over $10.6 million to eliminate barriers to building the housing we need, faster," says a news release.
The goal is to end restrictive zoning and speed up permitting, and add greater density, especially near transit and post-secondary institutions.
"The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) will cut this red tape and fast-track at least 112,000 new homes by 2028, which cities and regions estimate will lead to the creation of over 750,000 new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous communities across Canada over the next decade," says the release.
The City of North Bay’s Action Plan commits to seven local initiatives such as supporting infill housing with zoning amendments to allow four units as-of-right within the City’s urban area, complimented by a reduction of parking requirements.
Development of affordable housing will be incentivized through the reduction of fees through waivers and grants. North Bay will make city lands available for affordable housing development. The Action Plan will reduce approval timelines through streamlining processes, introducing technological innovations such as e-permitting and providing additional staff for service support.
Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly on the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) website. The Housing Funding Initiatives Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed.