Back to SearchMunicipalities from Waterloo Region met with Premier Doug Ford as well as Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as part of today’s Ontario-Municipal Summit on housing affordability.
The Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo joined with the Region of Waterloo to push for urgent and transformative change for all residents impacted by housing affordability and homelessness.
Collaboratively, the Cities and the Region helped to identify additional measures to increase the supply of housing and make it easier for residents and families to find a home that meets their needs and budget.
Quotes:
Regional Chair Karen Redman:
“Affordability is becoming more challenging across the housing continuum. Today’s Housing Affordability Summit was an important forum for mayors and regional chairs from across Ontario to have frank, solutions-oriented conversations with the provincial government about the housing crisis.
“Together, there are opportunities to make community planning synonymous with digitization, data sharing, efficiency, sustainability and equity. We look forward to future consultation with senior levels of government, as well as the collective, transformative action that is required to address the housing crisis. Affordable housing for both buyers and renters is critical for communities like the Region of Waterloo to thrive.”
City of Cambridge Mayor Kathryn McGarry:
“Housing affordability is an issue that needs all hands on deck and all levels of government at the same table working for a better future for our cities and province. Today was a good step toward that.
“We need to find creative and concrete solutions and take a hard look at policies and procedures across the board to ease the pressures that are driving up housing prices. In doing so we need to also increase the supply of affordable and supportive housing. Everyone deserves a home.”
City of Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic:
“In our community, we have a history of taking a ‘barn raising’ approach to big challenges like housing affordability. By bringing all orders of government together along with other stakeholders such as residents, the homebuilding industry, the not-for-profit sector and those that control capital, we will have the greatest chance of succeeding to meaningfully address the scope of this nation-wide challenge.
“This is not a problem that developed overnight, but today’s Provincial-Municipal Housing Affordability Summit builds on our previous work and moves us towards a long-term strategy and a coordinated approach that will best benefit the residents of our community, our province and our country.”
City of Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky:
“My thanks to the Premier and Minister Clark for convening this important housing summit. The only way we can address the major issues facing our communities is through collaboration and partnerships between different levels of government.
“The provincial funding announced today to help streamline the development processes is a meaningful investment, and I look forward to working with the province to create tangible plans.”
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