Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan

Tiny Hope

The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a federal program that is run through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) with the objective to create more supply of housing at an accelerated pace and to enhance certainty in the approvals and building process.

St. Thomas is eligible to receive $6.65M in funding over a four-year period from 2025-2028. The City has already received the Year 1 funding for 2025 in the amount of $1.66M. Years 2 and 3 funding is contingent upon the City achieving its Action Plan initiatives and milestones with progress towards a housing target. Year 4 of funding is dependent upon the City achieving a housing target of 1,183 new housing units.

Through an agreement, the City is committed to quickly completing initiatives that will accelerate and permit new housing development over the next three years and beyond. Details regarding the St. Thomas HAF Action Plan initiatives and targets are available below. The HAF grant covers the cost of implementing these initiatives.

Between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2027, building permits are to be issued that would permit 1,183 new housing units to be built in St. Thomas. Of those, at least 275 units are to be of a “missing middle” format that includes additional residential units, townhouses and multi-dwelling units from duplexes up to 4 storey apartments. Another 315 units are to be in apartments that are 5 storeys or greater in building height. A minimum of 75 of the new housing units must meet the definition of “affordable”.

The City will be tracking progress and reporting at the end of each year on the targets.

Undertake a community housing review of the existing housing stock, future housing options and create a roadmap with recommendations.

Housing Needs Assessment and Action Plan – Completed February 2025.

Prepare a guidebook as a resource for homeowners to create additional residential units on their property.

Enhance the Community Improvement Plan to provide more financial incentive grants to support homeowners to create ADUs.

Promote and market the ADU guidebook and financial CIP incentives.

Amend the City’s Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw to allow 4 residential dwelling units per lot as-of-right city-wide.

Develop and promote an Incentive Framework to encourage prioritization of infill and urban intensification projects.

Create a process for the disposal of city-owned land assets for the development of affordable housing as-of-right.

Develop polices and guidelines to allow the municipality to acquire strategic land parcels for redevelopment, including affordable housing.

Research, create and implement a program or policies that discourages vacancies, undeveloped land or low-density housing forms and incents land and buildings to be used for housing, including at higher densities

Implement a new Community Planning Permit System for a development area of the City as a land use planning tool for more streamlined development approval process.

Partnering with non-profit housing providers to preserve and increase the stock of affordable housing. Establish a dedicated program funding pool to provide loans, grants and investments to priority housing projects such as those that prioritize affordable, supportive housing.

Review existing housing supply, growth forecasts, identify housing needs into the future and any directions.