The London Beat London, Ontario’s stream of consciousness
London City Council has identified four priority issues that will require a solid partnership with the next Government of Ontario: Transit and Transportation, Social and Affordable Housing, Poverty and Homeless Prevention, and Environment.
Social and Affordable Housing
Escalating prices, low vacancy rates, and aging infrastructure are creating a housing crisis in London. Just outside of the “Greater Golden Horseshoe” (GGH) region targeted by provincial legislation aiming to cool the housing market, detached home prices in London increased by over 17% from December 2016 to December 2017, compared to just 0.7% in Toronto. Combined with a critically low vacancy rate of 1.8% overall in 2017, the market is rife with units that are well above market rent.
There are currently over 3,000 households on the waiting list for affordable housing in London. There are countless others living in precarious, unsafe, or unaffordable housing. On top of that, there is a forecast $225M deficit for maintenance, repairs, and replacement of City-owned affordable housing properties alone, in just five years’ time. Most of the City-inherited housing stock was built in the 1950’s and 1960’s, and are coming to the end of their lifecycle.
Questions For Candidates:
1. How does your party plan to make housing more affordable for all Londoners?
2. Does your party have plans to try and have London protected by the same legislation that protects the GGH?
3. How will your party address the predicted $225M deficit during the term?
4. How will your party help shrink that waiting list?
