The city of Peterborough, Ontario is facing a housing crisis that has left many residents struggling to afford housing. In response to this crisis, councillor Keith Riel proposed deferring several infrastructure projects in order to free up funds for housing and homelessness initiatives. However, some council members were hesitant to approve the proposal as it involved redirecting funds that had been allocated for specific projects. The debate over the proposal took place as the council was discussing the city’s budget for the upcoming year, including the possibility of capping property tax increases. This dilemma reflects the challenges that many municipalities in Ontario are facing as they grapple with the increasing cost of housing and a lack of resources to address homelessness.
The housing crisis in Peterborough highlights the broader issue of homelessness and affordable housing that is affecting communities of all sizes across Ontario. Professor Myer Siemiatycki emphasized that the problem of homelessness is dire and municipalities have limited resources to address this issue. Despite Peterborough being a smaller city with a population of around 80,000 people, it has one of the highest per capita rates of emergency shelters in Ontario. This demonstrates that homelessness and affordable housing are not just problems in the largest cities in the country, but also in smaller communities like Peterborough. The lack of affordable housing is a result of the federal government’s failure to invest in social housing from the early 1990s to the early 2010s, leading to a crisis that is now playing out in local communities.
The funding challenges faced by municipalities in addressing the housing crisis stem from the limited revenue tools available to them. Unlike upper levels of government that collect the majority of tax revenue, municipalities rely heavily on property taxes as their main source of funding. Additionally, the Ford government’s decision to cut development charges in 2022 further restricted municipalities’ ability to fund infrastructure projects. This has put municipalities in a difficult position as they try to balance the need for essential services like roads, sewer systems, and recreation facilities with addressing the urgent housing crisis. Without additional support from senior levels of government, municipalities like Peterborough are left searching for solutions to provide affordable housing for their residents.
Laura Pin, an assistant professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, highlighted the importance of investing in housing as a cash-intensive process that requires significant resources. Municipalities need to think creatively about how to address the housing crisis, but the lack of income tax revenue makes it challenging for them to raise the funds needed for new housing initiatives. While projects like pickleball courts and airport maintenance are important for community building, they cannot take precedence over addressing the urgent need for affordable housing. Municipalities should not have to sacrifice essential services to tackle the homelessness problem, and Siemiatycki stressed the importance of support from upper levels of government to address the housing crisis effectively.
In conclusion, the housing crisis in Peterborough and other municipalities in Ontario underscores the urgent need for more resources and support from senior levels of government. The lack of affordable housing has left many residents struggling to find and maintain stable housing, while municipalities are facing financial constraints that limit their ability to address this issue. Without additional funding and assistance, municipalities will continue to struggle to provide affordable housing solutions for their communities. It is crucial for the provincial and federal governments to step in and provide the necessary resources to help municipalities tackle the housing crisis and ensure that all residents have access to safe and affordable housing.
