Residents could be moving into a new affordable housing development in Bradford by the end of 2023.
That’s the hope for the County of Simcoe as it looks to build a new 50-unit complex at the corner of Simcoe Rd. and Marshview Blvd. Two public information sessions on the proposal were held Dec. 6. More than a dozen residents took part in the process to hear from the county and get an idea of what the building would look like.
Most importantly, the new development will be a way for people in the community who face housing challenges to break down a barrier to a safe and reliable place to live.
“(There are) 202 additional new units needed in Bradford West Gwillimbury; as of the middle of this year, 76 units have been created using a variety of different methods,” Arfona Zwiers, director of social housing for the County of Simcoe explained during the public information session. “The county’s specific development in the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury will… increase local housing stock.”
A four-storey structure is proposed for the approximately two-acre, town-owned site, featuring 31 one-bedroom units, 12 two-bedroom units and seven three-bedroom units. There will also be an interior common room for tenants, as well as a variety of outdoor amenities surrounding the building.
About 60 per cent of the building committed to one-bedroom units will focus on supporting seniors and those with disabilities or special needs. The complex is designed for “aging in place,” being suitable for anyone from eight months old to 80 years old.
The cost of the units would be equivalent to 80 per cent of the local average market rent; using this year’s numbers, the one-bedroom units would cost $810 monthly.
On the ground floor, commercial space will be available, planned to be occupied by a variety of government and public service agencies. Ground floor resources and supports through County of Simcoe services plan to include Ontario Works, Children and Community Services and Social Housing services.
This feature is another way to serve both the residents of the complex and the entire Bradford West Gwillimbury community, as has been done with the county’s affordable housing project in Collingwood and is planned on a larger scale with its in-progress development in Orillia.
“We’re able to bring agencies and services into the building which are of interest, not only to the tenants that live there but also local residents,” Zwiers added in a follow-up interview later in the week. “We try and take community services that are aligned with the kind of service we’re delivering… outwardly, to the clients.”
These ground floor commercial units have been a success, she added, and play a role in the buildings’ self-sufficient business model, which includes a portion of the monthly rent paid to keep the buildings in a state of good repair, so that county ratepayers won’t be on the hook to keep the lights on and the walls standing.
Zwiers called this “a very efficient use of tax dollars” and part of the reason local councils have been eager to buy in on the projects.
This project falls under the county’s 10-year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy, first approved in 2014, with work beginning with the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury on this project nearly five years ago. Since 2014, almost 2,500 new affordable units have been created across Simcoe County.
This was just the second time the county has held a virtual public information session for one of its affordable housing builds. While the public was invited to ask questions during these calls, a statutory meeting on the project will be held when the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury considers the site plan application.
“It’s always time well spent in order for us to make sure we’ve done absolutely everything possible to get input on the building design, and the layout, and any sort of ideas that people would want to share with us,” Zwiers said of the Dec. 6 meetings. “The intention of these things is to obtain really meaningful feedback.”
The county is hopeful to receive site plan approval from the town in early 2022, which would allow for shovels to go in the ground in the spring. Zwiers lauded the relationship between the town and the county and didn’t anticipate any delays.
Tenants could be moving into the new building by December 2023. While there is no formal waiting list available for residents who may be interested in moving to the new complex – that would open up approximately six-to-nine months before move-in day - the county is keeping records of people who wish to receive more information on this project.
To join that list, email [email protected].
