Housing For All

When we think of 'affordable housing', we may think of subsidized housing for households with very low incomes. But with rising costs of housing in our area and across Canada, many households with a wide range of incomes are struggling to find appropriate and affordable housing. At Grey County, we use the 30 percent definition, meaning that housing - both rented and owned - is considered affordable if it costs less than 30% of a household’s pre-tax income.

If there aren't enough homes that people can afford, it impacts not just those people struggling to find housing, but our whole community. When people pay unsustainable prices for housing, they may not have money left to pay for other necessities. They also can't support local businesses or join in on community events. Without adequate affordable housing, it becomes tough for the population and the economy to grow.

Grey County is predicted to grow by over 12,000 households in the next 25 years. As we grow, we need a variety of housing options available to meet the unique needs of different households. Our current policies aim for 30% of new developments to be affordable for low- and moderate-income families, but high costs for land and construction, rising interest rates, and other issues have created ongoing challenges in meeting this goal.

Affordable Rental Pricing

A snapshot review of local rental listings in 2022 showed an average price of $1850 a month plus utilities. This is not affordable to households making under $75,000 a year – which is 70% of households who rent in Grey County.  

Affordable Ownership Pricing

When it comes to buying a home, high prices and interest rates mean that affordable ownership is mostly restricted to households in high income. Even for middle-income households, there are very few available listings that would be considered affordable.

The average home price in Grey County was $635,263 in September 2023. The median household income in Grey is $78,000, meaning half of all households in Grey make less than that.  

*Costs are based on estimated property tax of 0.125%/month, CMHC loan insurance premium of 4% of loan, 5% down payment, 5.65% interest rate, 25 year amortization period.

For households with very low and low incomes – which includes many people working full time jobs – there are little to no affordable options. The County has seen a significant increase in the waiting list for social and community housing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1,500 eligible households now waiting for housing.

To help address these challenges and work towards solutions, Grey County has created a Housing Action Plan. This plan focuses on finding solutions for issues that are within Grey County’s control. These include:

• Improving the policies for local land use & community planning
• Making sure all infrastructure plans and development plans are coordinated
• Creating thorough regulatory tools & enforcement procedures
• Simplifying development review and approvals process
• Putting local fees, charges, taxation, incentives and deferrals to the best possible use

The Housing Action Plan is:

Complex. Housing, and housing affordability, is a complex issue. Our housing systems are tied to all of our broader economic and social systems, and we have to consider the impacts of any work that we do.

Collaborative. Housing is created, funded, and administered by many different organizations and levels of government. This plan focuses on work that Grey County can lead, but it relies on local municipalities, partner agencies, and the community to be involved to be successful.

Always evolving. This plan is meant to be flexible and will evolve as our housing situation changes.