Maddison Sharples

🏘️ Affordable housing providers in Canada face a unique set of challenges: financial constraints, aging infrastructure, and the need to keep rents low. GMF’s Housing Providers’ Toolkit addresses these issues, offering tools for energy benchmarking and project cash flow analysis. Tackle these challenges head-on and pave the way for sustainable, affordable living spaces. https://lnkd.in/gkbZTdrb

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On June 24, BGIS published on MERX, the Request for Proposal (RFP) to invite construction design consulting firms to submit a proposal to be prequalified and added to source lists to provide on-demand services in various districts across Canada, in support of the RP Project Delivery Services portfolio. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gYDBszBY   MERX Information: RFP#: AEIDSL24 TITLE : Request for Proposal to establish source lists for prime architectural, prime engineering and prime interior design consulting services SOLICITATION REFERENCE #: 0000272937   Please review this opportunity and follow the communication protocol described in the RFP. Questions will be accepted through MERX by the submission deadline (July 8, 2024).   One of BGIS’ core values is “Enabling Innovation” and with that in mind, BGIS has streamlined the prequalification and call-up process. BGIS is confident that the new source list process will enable them to collectively and more successfully continue creating innovative working spaces for public servants and rehabilitate federally owned assets.   "Effectively, change is almost impossible without industry-wide collaboration, cooperation, and consensus." – Simon Mainwaring.

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The federal government plans to update its catalogue of standardized home blueprints focusing on low-rise buildings. This initiative could speed up construction by reducing approval times for financing and municipal permitting. The catalogue is expected to be launched later this year. One of our Viewpoint articles discusses this initiative further. Click here to read the article: https://lnkd.in/girUmGHx #Construction #RealEstateDevelopment #LowRise #GovernmentInitiative

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The Ontario government recently released an updated draft of the Provincial Planning Statement, aimed at facilitating growth, increasing intensification, promoting a range and mix of housing options and removing barriers to assist with the implementation of the Housing Supply Action Plan. Katarzyna Sliwa, Roberto Aburto, Isaiah Banach, Karen Sadler, Max Reedijk and Michael James provide an in-depth look at the most recent version of the proposed Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 and some of the key policy changes that are proposed to Ontario’s land use planning regime, including how the changes compare to the current Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 and the draft Provincial Planning Statement released in 2023. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gSwiwFSt #RealEstate #LandUsePlanning #Ontario #ProvincialPlanningStatement

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Vaughan is evolving and growing like never before. To ensure City staff are well positioned to advance Council-approved priorities and initiatives, the administration continues to evolve as well. Learn about the City’s new organizational structure: https://lnkd.in/exsAgryf

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Beginning August 21, the Ontario Government | Gouvernement de l’Ontario will be accepting applications for funding under the $400 million Housing-Enabling Core Servicing stream of the $1 billion Municipal Housing #Infrastructure Program to build, maintain, and repair core assets such as municipal roads, bridges and culverts that will support the #construction of new homes. Of the $400 million, the government is allocating another $120 million to projects in small, rural and northern municipalities that do not have housing targets to better support the unique needs of these growing communities. “Our government is working with our municipal partners to support their infrastructure needs and get more homes built across the province,” said Kinga Surma, MPP, @ontario ministry of Infrastructure, who made the announcement at the 125th Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa. “This investment, in addition to the $970 million we are investing in water infrastructure through the first intake of the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, will help unlock more housing opportunities beyond 511,000 homes, bringing us another step forward in our historic partnership with municipalities to build the infrastructure and homes that our communities need to grow and prosper.” Eligible projects include any road and bridge assets that enable housing infrastructure and promote growth in communities. These projects must be a net new, rehabilitation, repair, reconstruction or replacement project. “AMO thanks the Ontario government for its leadership in making historic investments of nearly $2 billion towards housing-enabling infrastructure. #Municipalities are planning for infrastructure expenditures of more than $250 billion over the next 10 years. This funding is welcome, as it will help pave the way to increase housing supply, support growth and strengthen the economy,” said Colin Best, president, AMO. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gXjsZG3t

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Attention Ontario Municipalities: Submit Your Asset Management Plans Today! Municipalities, if you haven’t yet submitted a link to your updated, public-facing, and Council-approved Asset Management Plan to meet the July 1, 2024 deadline, now is the time! Send your plan to [email protected] as soon as possible to ensure compliance with O.Reg. 588/17. Why it matters: Meeting the regulatory requirements by the July 1, 2024 deadline is crucial. Non-compliance may impact your eligibility for funding programs like the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF). Need help? At AMONTario, we provide resources and training to support municipalities in meeting these requirements. Whether you need workshops, tailored guidance, or consulting assistance, we’re here to help! Learn more on our website at www.amontario.ca or explore additional tools on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/ghbUR_pR #AssetManagement #OntarioMunicipalities #Infrastructure #MunicipalPlanning

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The Government of Canada will re-open both streams of the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program on August 1 with an application deadline of October 16, 2024. The Small and Medium Retrofit Stream (deadline Oct 16) funds changes to an existing building/asset that seek to renovate, upgrade, or repair aspects of the building/asset in a manner that improves environmental outcomes. Retrofits must be to a facility that is fully accessible to the public and that will provide non-commercial services to the community. These projects range in cost from $100,000 to $2,999,999. The Large Retrofits and New Build Stream (deadline Oct 16) must be of a building/asset that is open and fully accessible to the public and that will provide non-commercial services to the community. These projects range in cost from $3,000,000 to $25,000,000. If you need support in completing an application for either stream, please reach out to our Grants Lead Klay Dyer at [email protected]

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🏘️ Affordable housing providers in Canada face a unique set of challenges: financial constraints, aging infrastructure, and the need to keep rents low. GMF’s Housing Providers’ Toolkit addresses these issues, offering tools for energy benchmarking and project cash flow analysis 🛠️. Tackle these challenges head-on and pave the way for sustainable, affordable living spaces. https://lnkd.in/gkbZTdrb

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What’s holding #Ottawa back from becoming a #vibrant #city? 🧐 Discover the #challenges and promising #solutions in our latest article featured in the 20th issue of #CAPITALMagazine. Ottawa Board of Trade TAAG

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City Building: ‘Condominiumizing’ land developments "Redefining the concept of condominiums for stakeholders that its approach is being applied to major, mixed-use projects in Ottawa and other municipalities." https://lnkd.in/eu3xH5pe #condoland #condomanagement #condobusiness #condosales #condodevelopment

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Submit your projects for the 2025 ACEC National Awards! 🌟 The all-new ACEC National Awards celebrates the impact and legacy of Canadian #consultingengineering. This program shines a spotlight on the lasting benefits your projects bring to clients, industries, and communities across Canada and beyond. This bold new program is a game-changer. Here’s why: ◽️ A focus on outcomes and impact – showcasing the tangible results and lasting benefits your projects deliver to clients, industries, communities, and all Canadians. ◽️ 5 dynamic new categories, reflecting the diversity of our industry, its wide-reaching impact on the natural and built environment, and its benefits to society as a whole. ◽️ A streamlined submission process – just 5 simple questions to submit your project! ◽️ Accessible to all firms, regardless of size – with tiered pricing, it’s designed for firms of all sizes. 📅 Deadline to submit: January 31, 2025 🔗 Learn more and submit your project: https://bit.ly/48TPl1L

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Submit your projects for the 2025 ACEC National Awards! 🌟 The all-new ACEC National Awards celebrates the impact and legacy of Canadian #consultingengineering. This program shines a spotlight on the lasting benefits your projects bring to clients, industries, and communities across Canada and beyond. This bold new program is a game-changer. Here’s why: ◽️ A focus on outcomes and impact – showcasing the tangible results and lasting benefits your projects deliver to clients, industries, communities, and all Canadians. ◽️ 5 dynamic new categories, reflecting the diversity of our industry, its wide-reaching impact on the natural and built environment, and its benefits to society as a whole. ◽️ A streamlined submission process – just 5 simple questions to submit your project! ◽️ Accessible to all firms, regardless of size – with tiered pricing, it’s designed for firms of all sizes. 📅 Deadline to submit: January 31, 2025 🔗 Learn more and submit your project: https://bit.ly/48TPl1L

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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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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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🏘️ In April, Ottawa announced the $6-billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund to help address the country’s housing affordability crisis. Before dispersing the funds, the government requires provinces and municipalities to agree to specific conditions, such as allowing more diverse housing types to be built. For provinces that prefer to maintain a tight grip over land use planning, these conditions could become points of contention in future negotiations. 💬 Speaking with Lexpert, Ted Betts expressed optimism that the funding for house infrastructure will materialize and various levels of the government will come to agreements with Ottawa. Read more ➡️ https://gowlg.co/3UTcE5p #Infrastructure #CanadaHousing #HousingFund

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As of September 8th, the first residents of 32 new affordable homes have moved in, with 38 more social housing units on the way at 2445 Brunswick Street. With a significant portion of Halifax’s social and affordable housing stock dating back to before 1980, the need for more modern and affordable options is urgent. According to the latest data, a staggering 63.9% of these units were built more than four decades ago, and only a small fraction has been developed since then. In 2022, 59.2% of households were still in core housing need, highlighting the critical demand for truly affordable options. With East Hants having the highest average rent for social units in Canada at $1,311, it begs the question: can we call it "affordable" if it costs more than market rent? Read our full analysis on affordable housing in Halifax here: https://lnkd.in/eMNiScCx

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🏗️ Building a greener future! As Canada faces climate change challenges, the construction industry is stepping up its game by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from infrastructure assets. Learn about the sector's efforts combating environmental impacts in CCA’s recent ICIC report: https://ow.ly/bwhh50RqP0q #ClimateAction #GreenBuilding #EmissionsReduction

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The new Canada Green Buildings Strategy aims to transform the #building sector for a net-zero future, with Efficiency Canada noting that we should reflect on how to build a stronger voice for efficient, affordable, climate-friendly #buildings.

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