Housing Affordability
The Town of the Blue Mountains is a desirable place to live, work, and visit. That popularity is part of the housing problem.
Housing prices have risen faster than many local incomes. For voters, the key question is simple:
How should the Town respond when many workers, young adults, families, and seniors cannot easily find housing that fits their budget?
This guide explains the main housing terms, the biggest local gaps, what the Town is already doing, and the decisions voters should pay attention to.
1. What do “affordable” and “attainable” mean?
These terms are often used together, but they do not mean the same thing:
Affordable housing: In government policy, housing is generally considered affordable if it costs no more than 30% of a household’s gross income. Town materials say 215 affordable units are a current local target using this criteria.
Attainable housing: This usually refers to homes priced for people who earn too much to qualify for deeply affordable housing but still cannot buy or rent at regular market prices. In this town, that often means local workers and middle-income households.
2. What are the biggest housing problems in the Town of the Blue Mountains?
The main issue is not just high prices. The Town also lacks enough of the kinds of housing many residents need.
Housing for local workers: If workers cannot live nearby, businesses struggle to hire, services become less reliable, and more people must commute into town.
Not enough long-term rental housing: People who do not want to buy, or cannot afford to buy, have very few options for stable long-term housing.
Too few smaller homes: Young adults, singles, and smaller households often cannot find entry-level homes or apartments.
Limited options for seniors: Without smaller and more accessible homes, seniors may have to leave the community to downsize or find care.
3. What is the Town doing now?
The decision to dissolve the Blue Mountains Attainable Housing Corporation (BMAHC) was a major turning point for the municipality. It followed years of gridlock, shifting leadership, and the collapse of a flagship housing project.
The town is now using several other approaches to increase housing supply and encourage more affordable options, including a new Housing Action Team (HAT).
Craigleith coordinated project: A 2026 proposal links a new 192-bed long-term care home with 112 purpose-built rental townhouse units on and near Grey Road 19. The Town has presented this as a coordinated way to address both long-term care needs and workforce housing needs.
30% affordable housing goal: Town policy work says the goal is for 30% of new housing to be affordable, supported by tools such as density and approval changes.
Community Improvement Plan: The Town is reviewing its incentive programs to see how grants, loans, or fee reductions could better support affordable and attainable housing.
Additional residential units: The Town is also encouraging secondary suites and similar units as one way to add more rental housing within existing neighbourhoods. Their uptake in Ontario has been limited in some municipalities, in part because taxes and other regulations can make the economics less attractive for property owners.
4. What choices are voters really being asked to consider?
Candidates may use different language, but many of the debates come down to a core question:
How much public support should go toward housing?
Affordable and attainable housing projects often need help to move ahead, such as the use of Town land, lower fees, or other incentives.
Question for voters:
Do you want the Town to use more public tools and financial incentives to get housing built faster, or do you want a more cautious approach that limits taxpayer exposure?
How much density should the Town accept?
Lower-cost housing usually means more townhouses, apartments, secondary suites, and other compact forms of housing instead of only detached homes on larger lots.
Should the Town allow more compact housing to improve affordability, even if that changes the look and feel of some areas?
Should the Town or a public partner play a stronger long-term role in managing affordability, or should the Town rely more on private builders and market incentives?
Bottom line: Housing is not only a social issue. It affects the local workforce, business activity, traffic, municipal spending, and whether people can stay in the community at different stages of life.
When candidates talk about housing, voters should listen for clear answers on cost, density, location, and who will benefit.
What kind of housing is the candidate supporting?
Who is it meant to help: workers, seniors, families, young adults, or all the above?
What will it cost the Town, and how will it be funded?
Where will new housing go, and what form will it take?
How will the Town make sure any affordable housing stays affordable?
