Still Searching For Solutions

Thursday, 7 February 2019 08:17

The Housing Let’s Get Into It: Municipalities Building Solutions to the Housing Crisis event is happening today in London.

LONDON - Representatives from local municipalities are meeting in London today to search for solutions to the Housing Crisis.

Around 200 guests, including several people from Oxford County will attend the Housing Let’s Get Into It: Municipalities Building Solutions to the Housing Crisis event today. The guests include municipal councillors, municipal senior staff, planners, housing providers, builders, economic development officers and health planners from across southwestern Ontario to hear expert speakers and collaborate on a solutions “toolbox” for their communities.

Director of Human Services Paul Beaton says it is a great chance to get everyone together to look for creative solutions.

"What we are calling a crisis in the housing continuum and the housing continuum ranges from emergency shelters, transitional housing, all the way to home ownership."

Beaton says the number one problem that needs to be addressed is affordability in the Housing continuum.

"The high cost of rental properties, high cost of resale properties and the high cost of home ownership. So we are getting a group of people together to discuss interventions that can be provided by local government, the provincial government, municipal government and the private sector. What we are really looking for is some bright ideas to find solutions."

With a focus on small urban and rural communities, the day features opening remarks by MPP Christine Hogarth, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and a keynote address by Jennifer Keesmaat of The Keesmaat Group and Former Chief Planner for the City of Toronto.

Speaker presentations also include Ryan Berlin, Urban Futures, speaking on demographics, economics and housing in southwestern Ontario; Graham Cubitt of Indwell, who will highlight recent affordable housing projects that are built to Passive House standard, an approach that offers comfort and affordability while reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; and Lana Sim from Toyota Boshoku Canada, who will share the perspective of employers seeking to recruit in an environment with a housing shortage.

The event runs all day and starts at 9:30 this morning at the London Convention Centre.

For the full agenda, speaker bios and more click on this link.