12-01-2020, 11:14 PM
(12-01-2020, 10:14 PM)ac3r Wrote: Transit oriented development is a good thing, but it has to be balanced and planned right. So far, this region is not doing that. From what I've seen, I've mostly witnessed this as "let's build a fancy LRT and hope big condos and boutiques open up along the route so the city looks good". It's gentrifying the areas along the LRT but the region is not providing low income housing and adequate transportation to blue collar jobs that are not exactly near the LRT.
There is no doubt that we have a shortage of affordable housing. But I think that blaming that on the LRT is disingenuous. We had a housing shortage and we have one now. And having more mid-market rental housing (Drewlo, Market Flats, Ophelia, The Scott, 66 Civic) will tend to ease the pressure on rents, even if the units themselves are mostly not in the affordable range. Even investor condos help relieve the rental housing shortage.
And the region (and at least Kitchener) are making real efforts to create more affordable housing. Much work remains, but the problem is not being ignored.
But that's really nothing to do with LRT.