Question 1: • What are the…

Question 1:
• What are the biggest barriers and delays to diversifying the types of housing built in existing neighbourhoods?

The biggest barrier to diversifying the types of housing in existing neighbourhoods is the incentive to repurpose existing housing stock which is faster and cheaper than building new.

There is a general lack of skilled and experienced professionals and tradespeople who can recognize the potential of existing structures to house more people quickly and efficiently.

In our current climate crisis, fixing up an existing building is better for the environment than tearing it down and replacing it with new materials. It's definitely cheaper, especially given growing supply chain and inflation issues. Yet few property owners are presented with this option. Demolition should be a last resort not a first option.

Instead, huge investment firms looking for huge profits have convinced local municipalities and provincial officials that only new buildings can solve the housing crisis. Creating a "clear space" on which to build a new house/townhome/highrise takes lots of time and money long before the "red tape" of zoning, planning and building permits begins.

Meanwhile the obvious, easy, quicker solutions are ignored.

The solution is to showcase examples of adaptive reuse and develop them as teaching models.

Question 2:
• What further changes to the planning and development process would you suggest to make it easier to support gentle density and build missing middle housing and multigenerational housing, in Ontario?

The first step is to educate people about what can currently be done without needing planning, development or even building permits. For example, most municipalities allow three unrelated persons to live together in a single building. Many people could be sharing their houses, without losing their privacy, and supplementing their income, at minimal cost, if they just knew how.

Developing and publicizing easy expanded use examples is a first step. If Ministry and Municipal Affairs Ministry staff took the lead in this, they could share shortcuts and examples of time and money-saving measures developed in one municipality with others.

Question 3:
• Are you aware of innovative approaches to land use planning and community building from other jurisdictions that would help increase the supply of missing middle and multigenerational housing?

Local examples of adaptive reuse, e.g. Preston School seniors apartments in Preston; Eva’s Phoenix in downtown Toronto is an example of adaptive reuse for transitional housing; Park Lofts on Annette Street in Toronto, Chapel Street Lofts in Cobourg was first a church, then a library and now six condos, and Seagram Lofts on the Lakeshore in Toronto.

There are empty Churches all over the province that could quickly be retrofitted into living spaces.

Question 4:
• Are there any other changes that would help support opportunities for missing middle and multigenerational housing?

Increase the number of second storey rentals over Main Street Heritage Commercial establishments by loosening restrictions on secondary staircases.
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