The housing crisis in Guelph and across Canada is more than just a headline; it’s a lingering aftershock of the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted every facet of life from job security to construction timelines. When the pandemic hit, many projects stalled, labour shortages surged, and supply chains crumbled. The result has been a shortage of shelters, supportive housing, affordable units, and private developments that left many struggling to find a place to call home.
For MP Lloyd Longfield, housing has been a cornerstone issue throughout his nine years in office, and the pandemic only deepened his commitment. He recognizes that no single level of government can tackle this crisis alone. He says, “It’s a complicated social issue that I’ve been working on since 2020 with the Mayor of Guelph, Cam Guthrie and our MPP Mike Schreiner. The three of us meet monthly to discuss how each level of government is addressing the issue of housing. We are united in tackling one of the most pressing challenges of our time.”
MP Longfield has been relentless in advocating for investments to provide immediate shelter for our most vulnerable, including seniors and families.
Guelph’s “collaborative spirit”
Guelph and Wellington County, known for their deep sense of community, are places where government and grassroots organizations are working well together to tackle the homelessness, and mental health and addictions issues.
Whether it’s supportive housing for those overcoming challenges, affordable units for families and seniors, or private developments to meet the growing demand for houses, Longfield is working to address the issue holistically. MP Longfield says, “One thing that people have in common is a need to have a roof over their heads, regardless of their circumstances. By combining our efforts, we’ve turned ideas into action, most recently creating three transformative housing projects within a year.
- 10 Shelldale is a permanent supportive housing project in Guelph that is home to many newcomers. It is a 32 unit building that has 24/7 support. The federal government provided $2.5 million in funding.
- With a $6.4 million investment from the federal government, Stepping Stone converted an old motel into a 28-unit, rapid housing project called Grace Gardens. It assists individuals and families experiencing homelessness with 24/7 support as they take a step toward permanent housing.
- The goal of Wyndham House is to end chronic youth homelessness by providing youth with housing, educational and social supports to help them make a successful transition into adulthood. They received funding from the federal government to create 10 supportive housing beds.
MP Longfield is proud of his community’s efforts to unite around a common goal. He says, “Through strong partnerships and innovative thinking, the city has leveraged federal programs like the Rapid Housing Initiative to deliver life-changing results for 36 families in Guelph who now have a place to call home. More than 5200 homes are being built under this program across the country.
Canada’s Homelessness Strategy called Reaching Home is a 4-year program that provides funding to urban, Indigenous, rural, and remote communities to help them address local homelessness needs. To date, Wellington County has received $4.5 million to help individuals access affordable housing with a promise of a total of $8.5 million by 2028.
National Housing Strategy
The National Housing Strategy is a $115 billion, 10-year plan to tackle Canada’s housing challenges. To date, $57.5 billion have been spent to create 156,000 units and repair over 297,000 units to assist the most vulnerable.
The Housing Accelerator Fund tackles two of the biggest hurdles to homebuilding, barriers and red tape. This program incentivizes municipalities to cut through the bureaucratic bottlenecks that often slow development to a crawl. MP Longfield says, “The $21.4 million received by the City of Guelph will help fast-track the building of hundreds of additional new housing units over the next three years by streamlining zoning bylaws, opening surplus city-owned land for more development, updating the building code to a digital format, and hiring additional Planning Department staff.”
The agreement will accelerate housing growth in the short team and help the City of Guelph meet its pledge of building 18,000 homes by 2031.
Meanwhile, the Affordable Housing Fund is a $10.3 billion program to support the creation of over 40,000 units and the repair of 166,000 units for those who are most vulnerable.
The federal government is hammering away at Canada’s housing crisis through initiatives like Habitat for Humanity by offering funding and incentives to make homeownership a reality for low-income families.
Making significant progress
MP Longfield is pleased with the progress that he’s seeing. He says, “I started the year with about 12 projects and 10 of those projects have been approved, with some of them already in development.”
MP Longfield points to the $36 million Silver Maple Seniors Community by St. Joseph’s Housing Corporation. It’s an 87-unit, mixed-income rental apartment building and 28 market-rate, rental townhomes designed specifically for the needs of seniors. MP Longfield says, “I can drive by projects now that are completed or in development. I credit the collaborative effort by the various groups working to house and help the most vulnerable in our community. They do such an amazing job together.”
The housing shortage is also being tackled from the ground up. With the increased focus on skilled trades, Conestoga College has expanded its building trades program the address the labour shortage and to certify newcomers in the construction industry. Additionally, the government’s funding boost to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) is putting more electricians on construction to accelerate housing projects. Lloyd Longfield is proud of these efforts. He says, “Whenever I can get organizations connected to a fund that produces results, that’s the most meaningful part of my job. You’re changing the lives of people by providing the help that they need, when they need it most.”
The federal government’s housing initiatives are a foundation for stability and opportunity. MP Lloyd Longfield says, “Whether it’s a shelter for someone escaping hardship, supportive housing for those overcoming life’s challenges, affordable housing for families working to make ends meet, long-term care beds for our elderly population or a starter home for a couple beginning their journey, we’re working to provide housing for people where they are at in life. We’re ensuring that no one is left behind.”
Contact MP Lloyd Longfield at (519) 837-8276 Email: [email protected], or visit here.
