Housing Strategy and Action Plan focus on variety in types of housing in Oakville

Oakville is working to put together a comprehensive housing strategy that provides options to “suit various needs and lifestyles.”
The Housing Strategy and Action Plan was shared with Town Council at a meeting earlier this week with staff directed to get public intake on the report and report back on refining and finalizing the plan in coordination with other ongoing provincial initiatives.

Aligned with the Livable Oakville Official Plan, the Housing Strategy draft provides a guide to decision making and want action is needed to promote housing supply, accelerate housing delivery and improve housing choice.

Included in the Action Plan draft in effort to deliver the housing Oakville needs are almost 70 actions it can carry out to improve the housing landscape and strengthen partnerships with upper levels of government, agency partners and the development industry.

“The Housing Strategy and Action Plan focuses on creating more homes and variety in housing options for our growing population who want to be part of our thriving and livable town,” said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. “We look forward to more public engagement to help refine the comprehensive housing strategy that provides housing options to suit various needs and lifestyles.”
The Town of Oakville has also applied for funding support through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) program, and Council approved seven housing initiatives in support of the application.

Should the town’s application be successful, funding from the program could be used to support the seven key housing initiatives, as well as infrastructure to support housing:

• Innovative housing solutions – policy enhancements and fee updates (Development Charge/Community Benefit Charge/parkland)
• Policy and regulation updates promoting and permitting accessory dwelling units
• Town surplus land (including the Public Works Site which is to be developed)
• Hard and soft infrastructure planning around Bronte GO Major Transit Station Area
• Complete the Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Area Review
• Zoning updates for as-of-right intensification permissions
• Digital enhancements for development application processing  

Detached and semi-detached homes currently make up 64 per cent of Oakville’s housing, while 24 per cent are townhouses, apartments with four storeys or less. The remaining 12 per cent are apartments of five storeys or more.

To provide more housing in key growth areas along major transit corridors, the town would need to facilitate more variety in the types of housing.

The recently update Regional Official Plan calls for at least 65 per cent of new housing units produced annually in Halton to be in the form of townhouses or multi-storey buildings.