Population and Housing

[westwardloo]

You can count me as an ex Torontonian. I moved to KW due to housing, but I also found a job in the region. I don't think it is an unreasonable notion to believe that over the next decade there will be a decent amount of younger skilled workers deciding to move out of toronto for KWC. I think as KWC becomes a bigger city more and more graduates from our universities will decide to stay rather than move on to the big city.

[Spokes]

Im surprised London saw that much growth. Great for KWC though!

[haljackey]

Im surprised London saw that much growth. Great for KWC though!

We are surprised too. London's been growing at less than 1% a year since 2001 or so until a couple years ago.

Housing prices are nearly double what they were just 10 years ago, and keep rising fast. I am assuming many new residents are from Toronto / Greater Toronto who have moved here from selling their homes there at a huge profit.

Problem is London isn't really ready to handle this growth. Unlike Waterloo region, we have no local freeways, no rapid transit (but a partial BRT system is coming) and no regional transit to London's joke of a CMA (nearest small towns/cities are a 20+ min drive away through corn fields).

[jeffster]

Im surprised London saw that much growth.  Great for KWC though!

We are surprised too. London's been growing at less than 1% a year since 2001 or so until a couple years ago.

Housing prices are nearly double what they were just 10 years ago, and keep rising fast. I am assuming many new residents are from Toronto / Greater Toronto who have moved here from selling their homes there at a huge profit.

Problem is London isn't really ready to handle this growth. Unlike Waterloo region, we have no local freeways, no rapid transit (but a partial BRT system is coming) and no regional transit to London's joke of a CMA (nearest small towns/cities are a 20+ min drive away through corn fields).

I never understood London's CMA as it includes cities outside of the region (hence maybe why there is no transit) and the KWC CMA doesn't even include all townships in the region, yet London does contain the entire region plus cities outside the region that aren't even close by.

Anyway, good for London and its growth tho...

[panamaniac]

We are surprised too. London's been growing at less than 1% a year since 2001 or so until a couple years ago.

Housing prices are nearly double what they were just 10 years ago, and keep rising fast. I am assuming many new residents are from Toronto / Greater Toronto who have moved here from selling their homes there at a huge profit.

Problem is London isn't really ready to handle this growth. Unlike Waterloo region, we have no local freeways, no rapid transit (but a partial BRT system is coming) and no regional transit to London's joke of a CMA (nearest small towns/cities are a 20+ min drive away through corn fields).

I never understood London's CMA as it includes cities outside of the region (hence maybe why there is no transit) and the KWC CMA doesn't even include all townships in the region, yet London does contain the entire region plus cities outside the region that aren't even close by.

Anyway, good for London and its growth tho...

See Statistics Canada’s CMA definition.

[Bytor]

I never understood London's CMA as it includes cities outside of the region (hence maybe why there is no transit) and the KWC CMA doesn't even include all townships in the region, yet London does contain the entire region plus cities outside the region that aren't even close by.

Anyway, good for London and its growth tho...

CMAs are defined, primarily, by commuter flows to judge the integration of a census division or subdivision with the core.

[dtkmelissa]

Now that we have a YIMBY group starting up in the area, might there be interest in starting a YIMBY-specific thread at all? I have lots I am happy to share about upcoming YIMBY events (like our monthly meetings) as well as articles and info from reports on affordable housing and housing issues just in general.

[panamaniac]

Now that we have a YIMBY group starting up in the area, might there be interest in starting a YIMBY-specific thread at all? I have lots I am happy to share about upcoming YIMBY events (like our monthly meetings) as well as articles and info from reports on affordable housing and housing issues just in general.

YIMBY group?

[dtkmelissa]

Now that we have a YIMBY group starting up in the area, might there be interest in starting a YIMBY-specific thread at all? I have lots I am happy to share about upcoming YIMBY events (like our monthly meetings) as well as articles and info from reports on affordable housing and housing issues just in general.

YIMBY group?

Yes, we have a Waterloo Region Yes In My BackYard group  You can find out more in the link. https://www.facebook.com/Waterloo-Region...188002363/

[tomh009]

Now that we have a YIMBY group starting up in the area, might there be interest in starting a YIMBY-specific thread at all? I have lots I am happy to share about upcoming YIMBY events (like our monthly meetings) as well as articles and info from reports on affordable housing and housing issues just in general.

That's an excellent idea, Melissa!

[dtkmelissa]

I'm curious, do you think it's possible to both advocate for 'housing as a right' and also strive to 'protect' housing as an investment tool?

[dtkmelissa]

I'm curious, do you think it's possible to both advocate for 'housing as a right' and also strive to 'protect' housing as an investment tool?

And on a similar, but slightly different topic, when considering a new development, should the voice of nearby residents (within that same neighbourhood say) be 'worth' more, or the same, (or less) than other stakeholders or residents outside of the direct neighbourhood?

[panamaniac]

And on a similar, but slightly different topic, when considering a new development, should the voice of nearby residents (within that same neighbourhood say) be 'worth' more, or the same, (or less) than other stakeholders or residents outside of the direct neighbourhood?

It shouldn’t, IMO, but in a ward-based system it almost certainly will.

[jeffster]

I'm curious, do you think it's possible to both advocate for 'housing as a right' and also strive to 'protect' housing as an investment tool?

And on a similar, but slightly different topic, when considering a new development, should the voice of nearby residents (within that same neighbourhood say) be 'worth' more, or the same, (or less) than other stakeholders or residents outside of the direct neighbourhood?

Those are really good questions!

I think it's yes to both. How you do it, though, is a different story. You almost always have to have 'housing as a right' in a very separate location to 'housing as an investment tool', unless, and this is important, that you limit 'housing as a right' in all areas. And what I mean by that; rather than have a few large complexes of low-income/geared to income, you need to have several smaller units, even individual, in all areas.

For example, the region would pay market rates to rent out 1 unit in say a small 9-unit apartment for affordable housing.

Speaking from experience, my parents bought a condo townhome in an area that had a lot of zero to low income housing. While our complex was fine, as everyone had a mortgage, paid condo fees and property taxes, the other side of the fence was a complete eyesore, looks ghetto, reeked, with a convoy of Brewer Retail trucks dropping off beer once a week (this was the 80's).

The second question is a hard one. Basically the question can be 'should NIMBY'ism be allowed?' because that's basically what it is. As it stands, they already have more of a voice. Clearly places like Waterloo have a very strong neighbourhood voice based on the housing situation in that city. But what really needs to happen is for the region to get this type of housing done on the down-low. Get it to fly under the radar. If a developer wants to build a 30 unit apartment or condo, waive fee's to allow the region to purchase or rent a certain percentage of unit (like 10-15%). In this case, they'd get 3-5 units out of 30, and it'll fly under the radar.

[KevinL]

St. Mark's Church (adjacent to KCI) is planning to be adapted into a community space with affordable housing.

https://www.therecord.com/news-story/990...ble-place/