A change to the City’s Municipal Development Plan will allow more leeway when planning neighbourhoods. Mayor Bill Given says the change to the bylaw says not every development area will require 25 per cent multi-family homes like apartments. There is now a requirement citywide for 25 per cent to allow for some diversity.
“For me, I think it strikes an appropriate balance between the status quo of what we had which required every new neighbourhood that was built to set aside 25 per cent for multi-family development.”
A problem was arising where developers would leave a lot space empty where they were obligated to plan for an apartment.
“City-wide it is our goal to have a mix of housing including up to 25 per cent multi-family. Before when developers would come in for a plan for a new neoughbourhood, our staff would have to say “is there 25 per cent in it?””
Given says he hopes to see apartments and similar buildings in the downtown core as well as near the new regional hospital in the future.
The city will look into making a plan to have multi-family units make up 25% of the total housing stock city wide.
