Mayor Jeff Leal's Housing Task Force Releases Report
/Mayor Jeff Leal has released the report from his Task Force for Housing Creation, announced near the Rotary Trail on Tuesday morning.
Mayor Leal served as Chair of the Task Force, with Councillor Kevin Duguay as Vice Chair and Councillors Dave Haacke and Keith Riel providing input. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The report contains 15 recommendations intended to speed up housing construction in the City and help address the housing crisis.
Mayor Leal appointed the Task Force members in January. He asked them to report back with recommendations to help facilitate the construction of more housing in Peterborough which is needed to meet the City’s Housing Target of 4,700 units by 2031.
The recommendations cover three primary areas: speeding development, cutting building costs and fostering partnerships.
Key proposals include:
Speeding up Development: Guaranteeing a one-year approval timeline for non-profit and multi-unit housing projects, establishing a dedicated team to fast-track priority developments, and simplifying requirements for housing approvals.
Cutting Building Costs: Adjusting municipal standards to reduce the cost of development, including re-evaluating requirements such as sidewalk placement and tree compensation fees.
Enhancing Partnerships and Advocacy: Encouraging partnerships with Indigenous, non-profit, and private sectors and advocating for federal and provincial support, particularly for affordable and Indigenous housing initiatives.
Mayor Leal will present the Task Force's recommendations to the City Council at the General Committee meeting on Dec. 2.
The Task Force members are:
Paul Bennett - Principal, Ashburnham Realty
Chelsea Combot - Director of Policy, Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services
Brian Fenton - Principal, Peterborough Homes
Hans Jain – Principal, Atria Development
Hope Lee - former CEO of Peterborough Housing Corporation
Rebecca Schillemat – Executive Officer, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Home Builders Association
Brad Smith – President and CEO, AON Inc.
Susan Zambonin – CEO, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region
