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Advocating for a Strong Halton

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Halton Region is home to more than 637,000 residents in four communities. Along with its Local Municipalities (City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, Town of Milton, and Town of Oakville) Halton is an effective two-tier government recognized for its strong financial position, safe communities, and citizen-focused reliable services. Halton Region is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, with an expected population of 1.1 million by 2051. Fiscal responsibility and continuous improvement have remained a key driver for the Region, with Halton maintaining a Triple Aaa credit rating and continuing to keep tax increases below the rate of inflation.

Shared Priorities

Halton's advocacy campaign outlines the Region's priority advocacy issues and acts as a guide to support Regional Council in their advocacy efforts. Halton advocates on behalf of the community for legislative and policy changes on issues that have been identified as important to residents and in maintaining their quality of life. Halton Region has been advocating for support from all levels of government to ensure that Halton’s taxpayers are not burdened with the cost of growth and that the appropriate services are in place to meet the needs of the community. Halton’s advocacy positions align with Halton’s programs and services, reflect Council’s approved positions, and respond to priority issues identified by the Halton community, Council, our polling data, and Halton’s Strategic Business Plan. Regional Council has been successful in:

  • Advocating
  •     Raising awareness
  •   Advancing key priority issues

Working Together with the Provincial Government

Halton Region continues to build a strong partnership with the Provincial Government and shares the Province’s goals of building more homes faster including the development of housing-enabling infrastructure needed to support increased growth. Halton continues to work together with the Provincial Government to address the priority issues listed below.

Halton Region’s Local Municipalities have endorsed Municipal Housing Pledges in support of the Provincial goal to construct 1.5 million homes. Given Halton’s forward-looking approach to planning for infrastructure, the Region has water and wastewater capacity planned and being delivered that will enable its Local Municipalities to meet their Municipal Housing Pledge Targets. The Region is planning to expand and invest in this infrastructure to support even more growth over the long-term.

3,400
Units per year 2012-2021 (average)

9,500
Units per year to meet Housing Pledge

Key infrastructure must be expanded to ensure Halton is prepared for the next wave of growth. Expansions to region-wide water and wastewater infrastructure like treatment plants, pumping stations, reservoirs and trunk mains will be necessary to accommodate growth and represent billions of dollars in new investment. It is estimated that the cost of all the growth-related infrastructure needed in Halton to 2031 will be $5.2 billion, with $3 billion of this required to support residential growth. It is estimated that the total residential development charges that could be collected to 2031 amount to $2.1 billion. This means the Region will require an alternative source of financing for some of the major infrastructure required to support growth.

Historically, Halton Region has successfully partnered with the development community to help finance and deliver major infrastructure. A key to the Region’s success has been coordination with the development community and its Local Municipalities. Over the past 10 years, the Region’s approach has supported the funding of $3.5 billion of infrastructure, enabling more than 50,000 housing units in greenfield areas and supporting the growth plans of our communities. A new partnership, currently in development, would support at least another 30,000 units in greenfield areas and an initial $3.2 billion of enabling infrastructure for residential uses, with the potential for another $2 billion in expenditures to be identified in updated infrastructure master plans. This program will ensure long-term growth plans are fulfilled.

The Region has done a great job to deliver infrastructure needed to support growth using the tools available and the partnerships that have been developed; however, with the significant acceleration of growth in the short term, Halton requires significant new water, wastewater and road infrastructure for its communities. The Region appreciates the Provincial Government’s offerings such as the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and the Ontario Infrastructure Bank and looks forward to continuing discussions on how to support our growing communities.

The Provincial Government can support increased housing supply in Halton Region by working with the Region to explore alternative sources of funding to deliver the significant new water, wastewater and road infrastructure necessary to support accelerated growth in Halton Region.

Some examples of key infrastructure projects necessary to meet shared housing objectives for Halton include:

  • Expanding the Mid-Halton Wastewater Treatment Plant (125 ML/d to 175 ML/d) and expanding the North WWPS (to 2,000 L/s) to provide wastewater servicing to growth areas in Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills ($305 million)
  • Expanding the Skyway Wastewater Treatment Plant to provide capacity for intensification growth in Burlington ($209 million)
  • Advancing the Wastewater Pumping Station at Lower Base Line and associated forcemains to provide wastewater servicing to growth areas in Milton and Halton Hills ($276 million)
  • Expanding the Burloak Water Purification Plant (from 55 to 165ML/d) to provide water supply to growth areas in Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills ($195 million)

Halton Region welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the Provincial Government on aspects of Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022. As it relates to changes to the Development Charges Act, Haton supports efforts of the Provincial Government to take stock in the significant financial impact these changes will have on municipalities. This is especially important in light of the significant investment required for infrastructure as noted above.

There are other changes associated with Bill 23 where clarity and certainty is required. Halton Region has taken a proactive approach to implementing the Provincial direction in Bill 23 to remove duplication from land use planning. The Region is the first upper-tier municipality to have a Council-endorsed plan for the transition of planning services to the Local Municipalities. This demonstrates the Region’s commitment to a streamlined development review and approvals system that supports the acceleration of housing. While much of the Transition Plan has been implemented, including through corporate-wide reorganization, there are aspects of the Region’s statutory role in planning that cannot be transitioned until the proclamation of Bill 23. While the Provincial Government has already implemented significant changes through Bill 23 with respect to the elimination of Regional planning, expediting proclamation of Bill 23 would enable Halton to fully transition the Region’s role in planning to its Local Municipalities.

The Provincial Government can support Halton Region in delivering infrastructure to advance housing supply by:

  • Eliminating the 5-year phase in of DC rates brought forward through Bill 23;
  • Restoring the list of eligible costs recoverable by development charges;
  • Limiting the definition of affordable housing to “purpose-built rentals” for the purpose of Development Charge reductions and enable municipalities to refine the definition based on specific needs; and
  • Expediting the proclamation of a revised Bill 23 that changes land use planning responsibilities in upper-tier municipalities.

Planned investments in schools, hospitals, GO Transit, and highway improvements will need to be fast-tracked to keep up with the accelerated rate of growth in Halton Region. These investments are critical to supporting the development of complete communities. Even with the investments made in Halton thus far, there are significant existing needs. It is not uncommon to see new growth schools operating well over 100 per cent within the first five years of opening, as new development areas yield a high number of younger children. It is important that new schools are funded as expediently as possible to meet growing demands resulting from accelerated growth, and that Boards are adequately funded to provide the accommodations for both permanent and temporary facilities.

The Provincial Government can support growth related infrastructure in Halton by delivering critical Provincial infrastructure necessary to support growth in a timely and coordinated way.

Key Provincial infrastructure investments that are requested include:

  • New schools in high-growth communities, including North Oakville, Southwest Georgetown, and Milton:
    • Halton District School Board
      • Milton #4 Public Secondary School - Britannia Secondary Plan
      • Vision Georgetown #1 Public Elementary School
    • Halton Catholic District School Board
      • North Oakville #3 Catholic Elementary School
      • Vision Georgetown #1 Catholic Elementary School
      • St. Dominic Catholic Elementary School Partial Rebuild
  • Funding for a new hospital in Georgetown and to complete the hospital in North Oakville
  • All-day, two-way GO service to Milton and Halton Hills
  • New 407 Transitway Stations in Halton, including a Neyagawa Boulevard Station

A significant amount of growth is planned for key Strategic Growth Areas in Halton, such as the Burlington Urban Growth Centre, Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Centre and the Milton Urban Growth Centre. In all cases, these nodes have been master planned as complete transit oriented communities. These are also areas that require the highest degree of coordination when it comes to delivering new water and wastewater infrastructure and transportation infrastructure to enhance transit station access. Provincial agencies own land in and around the transit stations in these growth nodes. Without enhanced coordination with the Provincial Government the anticipated growth in these areas will not be realized.

The Provincial Government can support increased housing supply in Halton Region by working with the Halton Municipalities to ensure the infrastructure necessary to support transit-oriented growth.

It is important that planned transit-oriented growth in Halton within the Burlington Urban Growth Centre (GO Station), Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Centre and the Milton Urban Growth Centre is coordinated through a multi-agency working group that includes representation from Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Metrolinx, and the Halton Municipalities.

Halton Region is committed to increasing the availability of assisted housing to address the need in the community. To achieve this, the Region has identified 600 new purpose-built rental and assisted-living housing opportunities and invested heavily in pre-development and site readiness work to ensure these projects are shovel ready. Sites continue to be added to this portfolio as they are identified. With access to strategic land holdings, active construction underway and additional projects in various stages of pre-development; the Region is ready to deliver more assisted housing opportunities to address growing community needs with funding support from the Provincial and Federal Governments.

The Provincial Government can support Halton in delivering new assisted and supportive housing by committing funding for shovel-ready projects.

Shovel-ready projects include:

  • 363 Margaret Drive, Oakville – 13 new family supportive housing units, total estimated costs $16 million
  • 17 Guelph Street, Georgetown (in partnership with the Town of Halton Hills) – 12 new assisted units (five for supportive housing women-led households, seven seniors), total estimated costs $6.3 million
  • Ontario Street (Allendale Campus – Phase 1, Building 1), Milton – approximately 178 new units of seniors supportive housing in a 6-storey apartment building, total estimated costs $151 million

The demand for specialized housing including homeless shelter and supportive housing in Halton Region has increased through and post the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand currently exceeds Halton’s permanent shelter capacity requiring the ongoing use of hotels to serve vulnerable populations. In 2023, 28% of all shelter placements required the use of hotel overflow due to increased demand on services. The increased demand for service is a result of compounding factors that began during the pandemic and are now a symptom of the growing mental health and addictions and the opioid crisis.

Halton Region's shelter capacity - 2023 (by number of individuals)

148
Overflow hotel placements required to meet demand

99
Permanent shelter beds

Municipal governments, including Halton Region, are often the first point of contact for people facing struggles with mental health and addictions, many of whom require intensive supports and experience challenges with securing and maintaining stable housing. Individuals require supports in their homes for better health outcomes and to maintain successful tenancies. Without these supports, people are at risk of recurring homelessness.

A study commissioned by the Region in 2023 indicates that a minimum of 120 units of dedicated supportive housing is needed for specific vulnerable populations in Halton. This includes individuals with multiple and complex human service needs related to mental health and addictions. To ensure that these populations are adequately supported, and to prevent higher emergency shelter use, street homelessness and encampments, it is integral that the Provincial Government fund costs associated with on-site health, justice and social service sector supports.

The Provincial Government can support Halton to address the growing demands for supportive housing for vulnerable populations by:

  • Providing dedicated capital funding to support the creation of new supportive housing environments to mitigate encampments and meet growth related needs.
  • Providing additional operating funding for staffing, monthly rent subsidies and other supports to assist high needs vulnerable populations.

Much of Halton Region’s pressures in the housing and homelessness system are a result of Ukrainian arrivals and asylum seekers who are being supported with no additional provincial or federal funding. To-date there has been no commitment to reimburse funds spent by the Region to support Ukrainian arrivals and asylum seekers.

Halton Region is proud to support refugees and asylum claimants as a response to Canada’s compassionate policies surrounding this population, but providing support to the expanding influx of refugees and asylum claimants is not sustainable given the current lack of dedicated funding from the Federal and Provincial Governments.

The Provincial Government can support Ukrainian arrivals and asylum seekers in Halton by continuing to advocate to the Federal Government for more support for municipalities related to asylum seekers and Ukrainian arrivals including reimbursement of shelter and housing costs the Region has committed to support Ukrainian arrivals and asylum seekers.

Halton Region provides quality essential services to the community including public health, paramedic services, childcare and long-term care. The current Provincial funding received for these critical health and social services delivered by the Region has not kept pace with increases in costs and growth. This creates shortfalls requiring an increased Regional contribution in order to maintain service levels and respond to community need. Increased Provincial funding shortfalls are reflected in 2024 for the following program areas:

  • Public Health – shortfall of $9.9 million
  • Paramedic Services – shortfall of $1.4 million
  • Services for Seniors – shortfall of $2.5 million
  • Employment & Social Services – shortfall of $877,000

The total shortfall that the Region will need to fund, that is more than its proportionate share, is increasing by $3.4 million to a total of $14.7 million in the 2024 Budget. It is imperative that the Provincial Government meets its prescribed cost-share.

The Provincial Government can support critical health and social services in Halton Region by:

  • Addressing the 2024 funding shortfall of $14.7 million for cost-shared health and social services programming.
  • Reviewing cost-shared programs to ensure Provincial funding keeps pace with inflation and growth.

There is high demand in Halton Region for more affordable child care spaces. The Region has engaged local child care providers to determine where system growth can occur and has found that many child care operators are ready to provide more affordable spaces through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System (CWELCC), if funding is provided.

In 2023, Halton Region received a reduced funding allocation that enabled only 190 new community-based spaces to support CWELCC System expansion in 2023, despite the need for 1,100 additional spaces. Considering the distribution of spaces over each year, Halton’s allocation of community-based spaces is low when compared to other regions of comparable size such as Niagara (3,685 spaces), Waterloo (2,936 spaces), and London (2,307 spaces).

Immediate Provincial investment would allow Halton to expand CWELCC to respond to community need, prevent long wait-times for affordable child care and prevent ongoing financial hardship for families. Without additional investment of CWELCC funding there will be minimal community-based growth in the CWELCC System in Halton until at least 2026. This challenge is compounded by the expected growth in the community as Halton responds to the Provincial housing crisis.

The Provincial Government can support an affordable, high quality early learning and child care system in Halton by:

  • Providing Halton Region with additional community-based spaces and associated funding for CWELCC expansion as early as 2024. Halton Region and local child care providers are ready and willing to expand the CWELCC system immediately by 2,340 spaces to respond to local demand.
  • Reviewing the CWELCC expansion funding methodology to ensure that municipal allocations are predictable, reflect demand and service provider readiness, and are not based solely on population data in order to adequately reflect local child care needs.

Halton is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada. In addition to responding to increased population growth and the need for accelerated housing supply, municipalities including Halton, are continuing to respond to more complex health and social challenges – like homelessness, supporting asylum seekers and addressing the mental health and addictions crises.

A new municipal fiscal framework is needed to ensure the Region can advance shared Provincial objectives and address Halton’s ongoing Provincial funding shortfalls for cost-shared health and social services programming, the shortfall in development charge revenues, and to ensure critical water and wastewater infrastructure is adequately funded to keep pace with accelerated growth.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has also demonstrated the need for a New Municipal Growth Framework and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has highlighted the need for a comprehensive social and economic prosperity review to ensure municipalities can continue to address the priority issues affecting communities.

The Provincial Government can support Halton Region by committing to and advancing a new municipal fiscal framework (A New Deal for Halton Region) to address the ongoing funding shortfall for cost-shared health and social services programming, the shortfall in development charges revenues, and ensure critical water and wastewater infrastructure is adequately funded to keep pace with growth.

CN Rail is proposing to build a new truck-rail hub in the Town of Milton which would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and result in 1,600 truck trips to and from the facility each day. On January 21, 2021, the Federal Government approved the truck-rail hub, putting the health and safety of Halton residents at risk. Halton Region commenced litigation in the Federal Court of Canada to review the decisions by the Federal Minister and Cabinet to approve the CN Project. Halton is taking this step to protect the health and well-being of its residents. In addition, in April, the Halton Municipalities and Conservation Halton resumed their 2018 Ontario court case to ensure that the proposed Milton CN truck-rail hub to ensure CN complies with laws that protect the health of residents and the environment. The Halton Municipalities have commenced litigation through an Ontario Court Challenge, an application for a Federal Judicial Review that seeks to overturn the decision by the Federal Minister and Cabinet, and we are also appealing the Canadian Transportation Agency’s decision to approve CN’s application for railway lines required for this proposed project.

Halton is seeking to ensure that should the project move forward, that all provincial and municipal by-laws and approvals are applied to the project.

Working Together with the Federal Government

Halton Region continues to build a strong partnership with the Federal Government and supports the Federal Government’s goals of building more homes faster and improving affordability. Halton continues to work together with the Federal Government to address the following priority issues.

The current housing supply crisis in Canada is urgent. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has estimated that 5.8 million new homes would be required across the country by 2030 in order to restore affordability for Canadians. Responding to this crisis, increasing the supply of housing, and restoring housing affordability for Canadians will require efforts from all levels of government. There are many components of the crisis that the Federal Government is best positioned to address – overall growth rates, labour, innovation and productivity, and taxation. Advancing solutions to issues in these areas that are impacting the ability to increase housing supply will help Halton Region and other local governments to accelerate housing growth.

The Federal Government can support increased housing supply in Halton Region by reviewing and addressing the recommendations set out in the August 2023 report commissioned by the Ontario Big City Mayors titled ‘Working Together to Build 1.5 Million Homes’.

Key recommendations include, but are not limited to:

  • Integrating policies related to immigration, international students, and housing to ensure alignment;
  • Addressing shortages in the supply of skilled tradespeople to ameliorate labour shortages the impact housing supply;
  • Encouraging innovation and productivity increases when it comes to building homes; and,
  • Ensuring the tax system is effective in supporting housing growth, in particular for purpose-built rental housing.

Halton Region’s Local Municipalities have endorsed Municipal Housing Pledges in support of the Provincial goal to construct 1.5 million homes. Given Halton’s forward-looking approach to planning for infrastructure, the Region has water and wastewater capacity planned and being delivered that will enable its Local Municipalities to meet their Municipal Housing Pledge Targets. The Region is planning to expand and invest in this infrastructure to support even more growth over the long-term.

3,400
Units per year 2012-2021 (average)

9,500
Units per year to meet Housing Pledge

Key infrastructure must be expanded to ensure Halton is prepared for the next wave of growth. Expansions to region-wide water and wastewater infrastructure like treatment plants, pumping stations, reservoirs and trunk mains will be necessary to accommodate growth and represent billions of dollars in new investment. It is estimated that the cost of all the growth-related infrastructure needed in Halton to 2031 will be $5.2 billion, with $3 billion of this required to support residential growth. It is estimated that the total residential development charges that could be collected to 2031 amount to $2.1 billion. This means the Region will require an alternative source of financing for some of the major infrastructure required to support growth.

Historically, Halton Region has successfully partnered with the development community to help finance and deliver major infrastructure. A key to the Region’s success has been coordination with the development community and its Local Municipalities. Over the past 10 years, the Region’s approach has supported the funding of $3.5 billion of infrastructure, enabling more than 50,000 housing units in greenfield areas and supporting the growth plans of our communities. A new partnership, currently in development, would support at least another 30,000 units in greenfield areas and an initial $3.2 billion of enabling infrastructure for residential uses, with the potential for another $2 billion in expenditures to be identified in updated infrastructure master plans. This program will ensure long-term growth plans are fulfilled. The Region has done a great job to deliver infrastructure needed to support growth using the tools available and the partnerships that have been developed; however, with the significant acceleration of growth in the short term, Halton requires significant new water, wastewater and road infrastructure for its communities.

As many federal infrastructure program agreements including the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) and Canada Community Building Fund (CCBF) come to an end in 2024, it is imperative that they are renewed and strengthened to support Halton Region in responding to accelerated community growth. The Canada Community Building Fund (CCBF) is an impactful tool that allows Halton to direct infrastructure investments to where they are needed most within the community. The total Federal Canada Community-Building funding allocated to Halton for 2024 is approximately $18.1 million and will be used to support the Region’s water and wastewater state-of-good-repair capital, transportation capital and road resurfacing programs. Increased investment in infrastructure programs including ICIP and a strengthened CCBF, is necessary to allow Halton Region to advance the infrastructure needed to tackle the housing crisis. As infrastructure capacity continues to be stretched due to accelerated growth in the community, it is critical that the Federal Government partner with municipalities to fund infrastructure required to deliver housing.

The Federal Government can support increased housing supply in Halton Region by participating with the Region, the Province, and the development community to explore alternative sources of funding to deliver the significant new water, wastewater and road infrastructure necessary to support accelerated growth in Halton Region.

Some examples of key infrastructure projects necessary to meet shared housing objectives for Halton include:

  • Expanding the Mid-Halton Wastewater Treatment Plant (125 ML/d to 175 ML/d) and expanding the North WWPS (to 2,000 L/s) to provide wastewater servicing to growth areas in Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills ($305 million)
  • Expanding the Skyway Wastewater Treatment Plant to provide capacity for intensification growth in Burlington ($209 million)
  • Advancing the Wastewater Pumping Station at Lower Base Line and associated forcemains to provide wastewater servicing to growth areas in Milton and Halton Hills ($276 million)
  • Expanding the Burloak Water Purification Plant (from 55 to 165ML/d) to provide water supply to growth areas in Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills ($195 million)

A significant amount of growth is planned for key Strategic Growth Areas in Halton, such as the Burlington Urban Growth Centre, the Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Centre and the Milton Urban Growth Centre. In all cases, these nodes have been master planned as complete transit-oriented communities. Growth in these areas would fulfill many of the objectives of the Housing Accelerator Fund, including creating more housing supply and supporting the development of complete, low-carbon, and climate-resilient communities. These are also the areas that require the highest degree of coordination and funding when it comes to delivering new water and wastewater infrastructure and transportation infrastructure to enhance transit station access. Without enhanced coordination and funding, the anticipated growth in these areas will not be realized.

The Federal Government can support increased housing supply by providing funding that enables the Province and municipalities to support transit and transportation.

The demand for specialized housing including homeless shelter and supportive housing has increased through and post the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand currently exceeds Halton’s permanent shelter capacity requiring the ongoing use of hotels to serve vulnerable persons including Ukrainian arrivals and an increased number of asylum seekers. In 2023, 28% of all shelter placements required the use of hotel overflow due to increased demand on services. The increased demand for service is a result of compounding factors that began during the pandemic and are now a symptom of the growing mental health and addictions and the opioid crisis.

Halton Region's shelter capacity - 2023 (by number of individuals)

148
Overflow hotel placements required to meet demand

99
Permanent shelter beds

Municipal governments, including Halton Region, are often the first point of contact for people facing struggles with mental health and addictions, many of whom require intensive supports and experience challenges with securing and maintaining stable housing. Individuals require supports in their homes for better health outcomes and to maintain successful tenancies. Without these supports, people are at risk of recurring homelessness. A study commissioned by the Region in 2023 indicates that a minimum of 120 units of dedicated supportive housing is needed for specific vulnerable populations in Halton. This includes individuals with multiple and complex human service needs related to mental health and addictions. To ensure that these populations are adequately supported, and to prevent higher emergency shelter use, street homelessness and encampments, it is integral that the Federal Government fund costs associated with on-site health, justice and social service sector supports.

Prior to March 31 2021, Halton Region received just over $750,000 annually through the Reaching Home program. With the funding increases to Reaching Home throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Halton Region has been receiving over $4.2 million annually. In November 2023, Halton Region was informed of its Reaching Home funding allocation for 2024-2028. The Region’s funding will decrease by approximately $200,000 annually in the two-year period from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026 and decrease substantially by $3,263,704 annually in the two-year period from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028. Increased Reaching Home funding throughout the pandemic has been critical in helping to fund net new supportive housing opportunities in Halton. This substantial funding reduction will have a significant impact on the Region’s ability to fund programs and services including emergency shelters and transitional housing which will contribute to an increase in chronic homelessness throughout Halton Region. It is imperative that Reaching Home funding be increased and made permanent to help fund the Region’s increased demand for emergency shelter and supportive services.

The Federal Government can support Halton to address the growing demands for supportive housing for vulnerable populations by maintaining and expanding pandemic-level funding of just over $4.2 million annually through Reaching Home to support the creation of new supportive housing environments to mitigate encampments and meet growth related needs.

Halton Region is committed to increasing the availability of assisted housing to address the need in the community. To achieve this, the Region has identified 600 new purpose-built rental and assisted-living housing opportunities and invested heavily in pre-development and site readiness work to ensure these projects are shovel ready. Sites continue to be added to this portfolio as they are identified. Regional Council has committed to contributing to the funding of the construction of these units, however funding from the Federal Government is needed to ensure these units get built and become available for residents who require assisted housing.

While Halton Region appreciates federal housing programs made available in support of the National Housing Strategy, these programs need to be reviewed to ensure they align and contribute to real opportunities to advance investment-ready projects in the Halton community. For example, the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a welcome and important federal-municipal funding tool however, upper-tier municipalities are not eligible for this program and therefore not available to address the need for assisted housing to support the most vulnerable in our communities. In recent years, federal housing programs have moved away from fixed allocations, to being competitive based with no guarantee of funding. These programs also come with very prescriptive requirements which are not aligned with timely delivery of the needed assisted housing.

The Federal Government can support Halton in delivering new assisted housing by:

  • Providing designated funding for Halton’s existing portfolio of proposed new purpose-built affordable developments.
    OR
  • Providing funding to the following shovel-ready projects:
    • 363 Margaret Drive, Oakville – 13 new family supportive housing units, total estimated costs $16 million
    • 17 Guelph Street, Georgetown (in partnership with the Town of Halton Hills) – 12 new assisted units (five for supportive housing women-led households, seven seniors), total estimated costs $6.3 million
    • Ontario Street (Allendale Campus – Phase 1, Building 1), Milton – approximately 178 new units of seniors supportive housing in a 6-storey apartment building, total estimated costs $151 million

Much of Halton Region’s pressures in the housing and homelessness system are a result of Ukrainian arrivals and asylum seekers who are being supported with no additional provincial or federal funding. Classifying Ukrainian arrivals as “visitors” instead of “refugees” means that Ukrainians do not qualify for the same financial, housing and settlement supports that refugees would normally receive upon arrival in Canada. To-date there has been no commitment to reimburse funds spent by the Region to support Ukrainian arrivals and asylum seekers. While the Federal Government has made $212 million available in one-time Interim Housing Assistance Program funding to support the settlement of refugees and asylum seekers in some communities, Halton Region was not a recipient.

Halton is proud to support refugees and asylum claimants as a response to Canada’s compassionate policies surrounding this population, but providing support to the expanding influx of refugees and asylum claimants is not sustainable given the current lack of dedicated funding from the Federal and Provincial Governments. Halton Region and other municipalities should be seen as partners in responding to the current refugee and asylum claimant crisis and be provided incentive to expand spaces and supports without limiting capacity to provide support to local vulnerable populations. The financial impact of federal immigration policies cannot continue to fall on local governments.

The Federal Government can support Ukranian arrivals and asylum seekers in Halton by:

  • Providing enhanced coordination and dedicated up-front funding to municipalities to continue to provide housing services and support to refugees, asylum seekers and Ukrainian arrivals including reimbursement for the shelter and housing costs the Region has committed to support Ukrainian arrivals and asylum seekers.
  • Initiating a policy change to re-classify Ukrainian arrivals as refugees and/or working with the Provincial Government to allow Ukrainian arrivals to access the same programs, services and supports as refugees, including eligibility for longer-term federal-provincial housing programs.
  • Developing a long-term national strategy to support municipalities in responding to and providing supports to populations fleeing areas of conflict while ensuring that local housing supply and infrastructure is coordinated to match immigration and refugee/newcomers arrivals to Canada.

Halton Region has recently released a Corporate Climate Action Plan which includes a corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target of net zero by 2045 and outlines a path to accelerate collective action. The Region is committed to responding to climate change by reducing the impacts to the environment and ensuring its infrastructure and services are resilient. The Region is also advancing a Community Climate Action Plan which will facilitate mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The Federal Government can support Halton Region in addressing climate change and building a resilient community by providing ongoing, sustainable funding that supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts to enable municipalities to deliver resilient communities.

CN Rail is proposing to build a new truck-rail hub in the Town of Milton which would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and result in 1,600 truck trips to and from the facility each day. On January 21, 2021, the Federal Government approved the truck-rail hub, putting the health and safety of Halton residents at risk. The Federal Government’s own environmental assessment panel determined that CN’s Project was likely to cause six significant adverse environmental effects that cannot be mitigated, including effects on air quality and human health.

The Halton Municipalities and Conservation Halton remain committed in our opposition to this project going forward with their approval and contrary to multiple municipal and provincial laws, designed to protect the health of residents and the environment. The Halton Municipalities have commenced litigation through an Ontario Court Challenge, an application for a Federal Judicial Review that seeks to overturn the decision by the Federal Minister and Cabinet, and we are also appealing the Canadian Transportation Agency’s decision to approve CN’s application for railway lines required for this proposed project.

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