**City Council Allocates Over Ten Million Dollars to New Housing Improvement Plan Amid Affordability Concerns**

Over ten million dollars will be allocated to the new Proposed Housing Community Improvement Plan (CIP) in Barrie. The Barrie City Council will repeal the existing by-law as more funding is received from both the federal and provincial governments to address housing affordability. 

The plan includes reallocating $4,559,047 from existing CIP funds to the new Housing CIP, while retaining a portion for heritage grants. Additionally, $5,603,035.50 from the provincial Building for the Future Fund (BFF) will be allocated to the Housing CIP Reserve Fund. The focus of the plan is on affordable housing and aims to increase housing supply, affordability, and accountability in using public funds for housing development.

During last Wednesday’s general committee meeting, the Barrie City Council expressed concerns about the adequacy of current definitions of affordable housing and the effectiveness of the CIP. Councillors discussed better supporting affordable housing projects and exploring additional funding mechanisms to address the housing affordability crisis more effectively. The proposed plan will be considered for final approval in an upcoming City Council meeting.

Councillor Clare Riepma (Ward 1) voiced concerns about the measure of success for the $5 million CIP funds, specifically questioning the number of affordable units to be produced. He highlighted the need to evaluate the effectiveness of the funding and the targets for affordable housing within the CIP.

Councillor Amy Courser (Ward 4) pointed out the inadequacy of the current definitions of affordable housing. She presented a detailed breakdown of living costs for a single person on minimum wage to illustrate the gap between what is defined as affordable and what is actually affordable for residents. Courser suggested exploring more flexible definitions of affordable housing within the CIP to better align with local economic conditions and residents' needs.

Michelle Banfield, VP of Development Services, explained that the current definition of affordable housing is based on standard industry practices, using Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) data and local area incomes and rental prices. CMHC is Canada's federal crown corporation responsible for administering the National Housing Act, with the mandate to improve housing and living conditions in the country. Banfield clarified that deeply affordable housing typically means less than 60% of the area median income. She indicated that the CIP's scorecard system prioritizes projects that include affordable housing, granting them higher scores and a better chance of receiving funding. Banfield mentioned that while the flexibility in the CIP allows for adjustments, changing the fundamental definition of affordable housing might not be feasible.

As Barrie City Council moves forward with this substantial investment, the focus remains on balancing the allocation of funds with the practical realities of affordability for residents. The discussions and decisions in the upcoming council meetings will be crucial in shaping the future of affordable housing in Barrie.