Housing

Local employers and small businesses struggle to attract and retain staff due to housing shortages. Diverse housing ensures workers can live where they work, keeping our economy strong, and our services running.

Welcoming newcomers with a range of housing choices brings new skills, perspectives, and innovation to the Municipality of Kincardine, enriching our community and economy.

Without affordable starter homes or rentals, young adults leave here to find housing elsewhere. Diverse housing helps them stay, contribute, and build their futures in the community they love.

Seasonal workers and year-round staff need places to live. A mix of housing options means more access to short-term jobs, more open shops, restaurants, and attractions for residents and visitors alike.

When people live near their work, they have more time to volunteer, participate in events, and support local causes, making the community a more connected and caring place.  

Housing stress contributes to mental health issues, food insecurity, and poverty. Diverse, affordable housing options reduce these pressures and allows social services to focus on those most in need.

Smart and strategic infill development in existing neighbourhoods helps meet housing needs without sprawling into natural areas. This helps preserve Municipality of Kincardine’s lakeside charm and keeps infrastructure costs lower.

Many older residents want to downsize but can’t find suitable homes. More compact, accessible housing allows them to remain independent and connected to their community.  

With 80% of homes in the Municipality of Kincardine being single-detached, prices are high. Adding townhomes, duplexes, and apartments creates choices for all income levels and life stages.

Welcoming new people here by having enough housing options brings their diverse experiences, customs, and knowledge to share with our community. Neighbourhoods become more inclusive, interesting, and connected.

Diverse housing reflects our values of inclusion, fairness, and community. It ensures that everyone, from newcomers to lifelong residents, can find a home.

Housing is a basic human need and impacts every aspect of daily life.

Community consultation for the Corporate Strategic Plan and the Economic Development Strategy identified housing affordability as one of Kincardine’s greatest challenges.

The Housing Action Plan identifies ways that the Municipality can help to: 

• align and adopt municipal policies, processes, by-laws and to improve:
  • supply and availability of housing
  • diversity of housing stock
  • affordable housing options
• compliment and support the County of Bruce mandate, roles and responsibilities of their Housing and Homelessness Plan.
• To create community understanding around housing issues and inspire collective action.

The Municipality engaged the public, key stakeholder groups, and specific sectors in conversations around housing. Over 1,300 people contributed to the discussion. A detailed 'What We Heard' report was developed to capture the feedback received.

In April and March 2022, we invited all residents or potential residents to complete a Municipal Housing Survey.

The results are available and helped us better understand housing needs and provide community input on increasing the supply of housing, including more affordable options.

Metroline Research Group, an independent marketing research company, managed the survey execution and data analysis.  

The Municipality hosted a Housing Forum on June 8, 2022 to learn best practices from other communities and gather input from community. You can view the presentation from the housing forum.