Jennifer Keesmaat

Affordable housing near transit isn't just about providing shelter—it's about creating strong, resilient communities. It’s time to prioritize policies that enhance affordable housing, fostering opportunity and a foundation for vibrant and sustainable communities. According to the Equitable Transit Oriented Affordable Housing: A Necessary Complement to Transit Development in Hamilton, ON report, a collaboration from the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative (CHEC) and McMaster University, the Government Alliance on Race and Equity in the US highlights that “people and communities with stability and resilience in the face of displacement pressures fare better. An intact community in which people are able to have high quality jobs and financial security; culturally appropriate goods, services, and support; and strong social networks that support the acceptance of a range of cultures has better outcomes.” Through the Hamilton Transit Oriented Affordable Housing (TOAH) Lab, a collaboration among SI Canada, CMHC, the City of Hamilton and local housing organizations, we’re exploring ways to preserve affordable housing near transit while addressing issues like displacement and the loss of community spaces. Explore the report: https://lnkd.in/eU-QifY7 #HousingSolutions #SocInn #HamiltonTOAH #TransitOrientedDevelopment #CommunityDevelopment #InclusiveDevelopment #AffordableHousing

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Can Canada innovate its way out of the housing crisis? Only if neighbors are on board. The affordability of housing is a growing challenge across Canada. While planners, policymakers, and developers push for innovative housing solutions to accelerate production and maximize land use, community resistance can stall or kill projects. So, how do we shift public opinion and build support for housing innovation? To find out, we conducted interviews and surveyed 2,500 Canadians about their attitudes toward key housing innovations. We discovered that if people believe their neighbors support innovative developments—or if they already see them in their area—they’re much more likely to back them, too. Want to learn more about what drivers and inhibits housing innovation? Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e6BDxR4W

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🏗️ Is Toronto's approach to housing incentives doomed for failure? Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) is calling for a more robust approach to address the city's housing needs. ✍ Get the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gM4Ryq2H The group says that the city's current proposal, "Expanding Incentives for Purpose-Built Rental Housing", while well-intentioned, is too limited in scope to unlock the potential of Toronto’s stalled housing pipeline. “While the current proposal acknowledges the challenges posed by rising cost to build, it represents a limited solution to a much larger problem. If the city’s own housing projects, built on city land, with federal subsidies cannot proceed without development charge and tax relief, it is no wonder that market units are struggling with costs to build, which is in turn acting as a barrier to adding the housing Toronto requires.” - David Wilkes, BILD President & CEO.

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Another in the continuing series: "Carolyn reads a lot of reports". Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada | Logement, Infrastructures et Collectivités Canada has a good new report on consultations around replicable design. Basically, it works if and only if there are standardized zoning & building codes to enable it, financing for SME nonmarket and market builders, & modular components to reduce time & labour. But the four are connected! https://lnkd.in/gkQzDS7R

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NEW OP-ED: The housing starts crisis in Toronto is only getting worse, not better. 🚨 This isn’t just about a lack of homes—it’s about a complete collapse in housing starts. Housing starts? These are the number of new homes that begin construction in a given period. It’s a critical indicator of future housing supply and the health of the market. In August and September, housing starts plummeted by 75% and 81%, respectively—far below the levels we need to meet demand. City Hall has announced a new program that promises 20,000 new rental units. It sounds great, but this is nothing more than smoke and mirrors — not to mention that its requirements will disqualify the vast majority of projects. We can’t cover the sun with our hand, and we can’t hide the truth here: this plan is a half-hearted attempt at solving a crisis that demands real leadership and commitment. For example, let’s talk about the $9 billion in funding the city’s plan is relying on. This is not just unlikely—it’s downright unrealistic, and everyone knows it. What about the 20% affordable housing requirement? It’s a barrier, not a solution; it’s making it harder to get shovels in the ground, not easier. This isn’t just a missed opportunity, it’s an evident failure of our city leadership. We’re stuck in a cycle where new housing projects are stalled by sky-high fees, development charges, and layers of bureaucracy. We’ve reached a tipping point. This won’t get better unless we demand better. It’s time to start focusing on real, tangible action to tackle Toronto’s housing crisis. With no sign of relief in sight, time is running out. The city must develop a program that will kickstart new projects at the speed and scale we urgently need. In my latest op-ed for the Toronto Star, I lay out the changes we need to get shovels in the ground and set our priorities straight. Read the full piece here, then share your thoughts below. https://lnkd.in/gZfSN2Gw Adrian Rocca, Andrew Joyner, David Wilkes, Tony Irwin, Steve Diamond, Joshua Zagdanski, Jack Winberg, Fraser Macdonald, Shawn Allen, Bob Blazevski, Aly Damji, Dayna Gilbert, Leona Savoie, Danielle Binder, Jon Love C.M., Rocco Rossi, Laryssa Waler Hetmanczuk, Nicholas Kendrew, Len Phillips, Daniel Moore, Richard Abboud Christopher Langley, Grant Cameron, Carlo Timpano, Gabriel Diamond, Chris Spoke, Tony Chapman, Jordan Bitove, OOnt, Robert E. Lamoureux, FCA, FCPA, ICD.D, Laura Stavro-Beauchamp, M.Des Steven Haylestrom, Paul Bagnell, Michael Betel, Commercial Real Estate Agent

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Housing crisis solution? PM’s plan demands 4 million homes by 2031. ‘Their plan reflects inexperience,’ says Shane Wenzel. Can Canada meet this ambitious target? 📚 Read here: https://lnkd.in/gJcEfjih 🏠 #HousingCrisis #CanadaHousing

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The National Housing Council has released "The Financialization of Purpose-Built Rental Housing Report". https://lnkd.in/eaeTeH3C... Here are our main takeaways: "Several decades of underinvestment in non-market rental housing has decreased the availability of housing that is best positioned to support populations in greatest need". "When compared to other developed OECD countries (0.5%-1.5% of GDP), Canada is spending significantly less of its gross domestic product (GDP) on social housing (0.1%-0.2% of GDP)". "Establish targets and timelines for increasing non-market rental housing’s share of Canada’s total housing stock to align with other developed OECD countries (from 3.5% to 6.9% of Canada’s total housing stock) by 2034." "Establish a process within the non-market rental housing plan that accelerates the transfer of ownership of Crown-owned land in suitable locations to local jurisdictions for the exclusive purpose of developing non-market housing."

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A Path Toward Equitable Housing: Reimagining Ontario's Rental Market Join us at the Pavilion on September 17th from 11:00am - 12:30pm for an insightful event focusing on housing and the urban Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This event is part of the World Urban Pavilion's Housing and Urban SDGs program under Canada Frontrunner of Urban SDGs and is organized in collaboration with Bhutila Karpoche, the Federation of Metro Tenant's Association, and the High Park Tenants' Association. Register now: https://lnkd.in/gwUH-5Rd We’ll explore the complexities and opportunities of rental housing both globally and within Canada’s and Ontario's rental markets, with a particular emphasis on creating a more inclusive and fair housing landscape for all. Event Highlights: 🏘 Sustainable Renting Models: Hear from global experts on how different countries implement rent control to benefit renters. 🤲 Rental Housing Challenges using Ontario, Canada as an example: Dive deep into Ontario’s rental market challenges, featuring real stories from affected tenants, and explore possible solutions. 💪 Strengthening Renters’ Rights: Experts and advocates will share effective strategies for enhancing renters' protections. Rentals make up a significant portion of housing in our society. Ensuring renters have access to affordable housing, are aware of their rights, and are part of housing solutions is crucial. This session aims to foster collaboration between governments, residents, and the private sector with the goal of positioning Ontario as a leader in equitable rental housing. This is a great opportunity to join a network of like-minded individuals dedicated to improving housing equity and contribute to advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening renters' rights. Don’t miss the chance to participate in this essential conversation and be a part of creating a more equitable housing landscape for all Ontarians. For virtual tickets message: [email protected] #HousingEquity #UrbanSDGs #OntarioHousing #RentControl #AffordableHousing #InclusiveHousing #UrbanDevelopment

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TRREB is urging Toronto City Council to pass a motion that will remove barriers to townhouses and small six-storey residential buildings on major streets. TRREB is continuing to lead the way by calling on City Councillors to get behind more as-of-right planning policies that will eliminate barriers to building the housing Torontonians need. We particularly urge Council to review the 30-unit cap to ensure the financial feasibility of these projects, especially for rental units. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3yCbyU0

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The Building Industry Land Development (BILD) has released its latest Municipal Benchmarking report, which looks at factors that are contributing to worsening housing affordability in the GTA. Its key findings are as follows: - Housing affordability has worsened considerably since BILD’s last Municipal Benchmarking Study in 2020 - New home building has not kept up with population growth - Application submissions have fallen significantly in the last two years - Timelines for approvals are improving, but remain excessively high and the cost of these delays is significant BILD’s report solidifies the reality of the housing-crisis in our province. While there has been a concerted effort to fast-track approvals and lower development costs, we still have a long way to go to address housing affordability in a truly meaningful way. It is imperative that all levels of government and the private sector work collaboratively to address these issues in order to meet the province’s goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031. Find the report in its entirety here: https://bit.ly/4djnngM

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The federal government has unveiled two major initiatives over the past six years aimed at encouraging more homebuilding. Yet most rental housing remains beyond the reach of many households. Homeownership even more so. Join us in Montreal on Thursday, November 7 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for a talk with housing expert Carolyn Whitzman. Whitzman will review the policies that have led to the current housing crisis and examine how new government efforts can prioritize deeply affordable housing for Canadians who need it most. Her talk will explore what adequate housing looks like, why non-market housing is crucial for Canada, and how to tackle the ever-growing wealth disparity between renters and those who own. Register here: https://irpp.org/?p=19610

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The final recommendations from Canada's housing and climate federal Task Force, known as the Blueprint for More and Better Housing, have been revealed. The task force aims to address Canada's housing crisis and climate issues by proposing solutions for adding new affordable and climate-friendly homes by 2030. Take a look at this information 👇 ✔ Urban density increase is proposed to protect greenfield areas but overlooks the adverse effects of overly high urban densities. ✔ Recommendations include implementing province-wide zoning rules but overlook the importance of green infrastructure. ✔ Housing research suggests the necessity for "missing middle" housing to meet household demands. ✔ Strategies to build affordable housing on municipal land may inadvertently inflate land values without addressing underlying market dynamics. ✔ Suggestions to eliminate height and density restrictions near transit could further inflate land values. ✔ Resolving conflicts may involve establishing both minimum and maximum residential zoning heights and densities and adapting zoning regulations for climate-friendly builds. Efforts to address housing affordability and climate change must consider market dynamics and strike a balance between urban development and green infrastructure. Read more here https://lnkd.in/gd2Q-h2a Real estate investing in Toronto Investment properties in Ontario Ontario real estate trends Ontario real estate agents

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Trending in #CHBAHighlights ⬇️ Amid a housing crisis that has esp. impacted younger people, politicians, economists, and housing advocates are questioning whether rising development charges (DCs) are fair, and whether they contribute to high housing prices. https://lnkd.in/gzn4RejG   Rising DCs have been an underrecognized major driver of rising housing costs in new construction, which has also resulted in higher resale home prices. DCs have risen ~700% over the past 20 years, and action is desperately needed to reverse that trend. While it is positive that the Federal Housing Plan called for a 3-year freeze on increasing DCs through the $6B Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, more effort is needed to ensure policy changes on this issue occur at all levels of government.   CHBA members, subscribe to #CHBAHighlights: https://lnkd.in/gj3C6bXN

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🚆✨ Ever wondered why BC's transit hubs are the talk of the town? Discover how Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) transform urban living with new legislation, boost housing, and drive economic growth. Dive into the benefits of these walkable, sustainable communities and see why TODs are the future! 🌿💡 #BCRealEstate #UrbanDevelopment #SustainableLiving #TOD #TransitHubs #HousingCrisis #SmartGrowth #HousingNews #HousingCanada #CanadaTransit #VancouverRealEstate #VancouverTransit #NewLaws #Public #Blog #RealEstateBlog #Education #RealEstate #communities #Transit #Skytrain 

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