Housing Pledge
On August 21, 2023, the Ontario government assigned housing targets to 21 additional municipalities, including North Bay, as part of their overall plan to build at least 1.5 million homes by 2031. As part of this announcement, the government announced a three-year, $1.2 billion dollar fund to assist municipalities in achieving this target.
North Bay was assigned a housing target of 1,000 new residential units by 2031. City Council has accepted the housing target of 1,000 new residential units and has sent this commitment to the Province. Of the $1.2 billion dollars available, the funding potential for the City of North Bay is $800,000.
As part of the mandate from the provincial government, the City was also required to create a ‘Housing Pledge’ by December 15, 2023, to be eligible for the funding. City Council accepted and approved this Housing Pledge on Tuesday November 14, 2023.
Through the City’s Housing Pledge, the City is committed to implementing eight out of the ten initiatives in the Housing Action Plan. These eight initiatives will create an environment for additional housing units to be developed. The City has implemented four out of the eight initiatives so far.
The eight initiatives include:
- Permit two additional dwelling units within the Urban Settlement Area and one additional dwelling unit within the Rural Area (complete);
- Develop a conceptual plan for 10.6 hectares of City-owned property for Residential Development, which will create a diverse residential development;
- Expand the City’s Growth Community Improvement Plan (Growth CIP) Housing Target Area to include the City’s entire urban settlement boundary;
- Implement revised parking requirements to reduce the required parking for Additional Dwelling Units (complete);
- Implementing new processes to receive and process building permit applications and planning applications, through 'electronic-permitting' (complete);
- Require mandatory pre-consultation for Planning Act Applications (complete);
- Implement amendments to City procedures to delegate some Planning Act decisions to Staff; and
- Condense residential zones within the Zoning By-law.
The two initiatives not included in the Housing Pledge are:
- Provide top-up funding through the City’s Growth Community Improvement Plan (Growth CIP) for the missing middle and affordable housing; and
- Provide funding for creating multiple residential units.
Both initiatives would provide up to $25,000 for each additional residential units created. The City anticipated that this would take a large percentage of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) funds. Without financial support from the Federal Government, these initiatives cannot move forward in its current form and amount.
In a letter received from the Honorable Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Province has identified Ontario's and the City of North Bay’s targets.
| Housing Target | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Ontario | 110,000 | 125,000 |
150,000 |
| City of North Bay | 73 | 83 |
100 |
As of the end of September 2023, the City has seen the creation of 93 housing units. The average for the last three years is 123 housing units per year.
Housing Action Plan
The Housing Accelerator Fund, through the Federal Government, provides incentive funding to local governments encouraging initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply. It also supports the development of complete, low-carbon and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse.
The City of North Bay has applied for this funding and has created the Housing Action Plan. These initiatives are aimed to create transformational change within the City and permit innovative policies and approval processes to accelerate the supply of housing units. The initiatives proposed through the Housing Action Plan will support the development of complete communities, which are walkable, promote an appropriate residential density & diverse mix of land uses, and continue to encourage amenities & services through public and active transportation.
Click here to view the Housing Action Plan in full
The Plan will encourage intensification and infill opportunities which would utilize existing infrastructure and reduce the need for the expansion of sewer & water and other services and reduce green-house gas emissions. The Plan will also support the development of affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse communities that encourage clear pathways to achieve greater socio-economic inclusion largely achieved through the equitable provision of housing across the entire housing spectrum. The proposed initiatives of the Housing Action Plan will incentivize the implementation of local actions that remove barriers to housing supply, accelerate the growth of supply, and support the development of communities that are aligned with housing as a right and the needs within North Bay.
| Initiative | Proposal | Incentives/Benefits | Status |
| 1. Permit Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) |
|
|
Complete
See here for more |
| 2. Design & Development of City Owned property |
|
|
Incomplete |
| 3. Expansion of Housing Target Area in GCIP |
|
|
Incomplete |
| 4. Top-up funding for GCIP |
|
|
Incomplete |
| 5. Revised parking requirements for ADUs |
|
|
Complete |
| 6. Electronic permitting system capabilities |
|
|
In Progress |
| 7. Mandatory Pre-Consultation | Require mandatory pre-consultation for certain Planning Act applications (Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-law Amendments, Plans of Subdivision/Condominium and Site Plan Control Agreements) |
|
Complete |
| 8. Delegate Planning Acts Decisions to Planning Staff | Update City's delegation by-law to delegate approval authority to Planning Staff for certain Planning Act applications |
|
Incomplete |
| 9. Simplifying residential zones |
|
|
Incomplete |
| 10. Additional funding for high-density developments |
|
|
Incomplete |
Click here to view the Housing Action Plan in full
Related Information
District of Nipissing Housing Services
Contact
Adam Curran
Policy & Business Development Planner, MAAC Staff Liaison