County to consider seeking federal dollars for Port Dover Northwest Booster Station

Chris Van Paassen, Ward 4 Councillor

Luke Edwards

Advocate Correspondent

Norfolk is once again running up against a four units as-of-right requirement as it looks to apply for funding from upper levels of government.

Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada recently launched the first stream of its $6 billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF). The goal of the fund is to provide financial support for environmental infrastructure in the form of water, wastewater, stormwater and solid waste, which can in turn lead to an increase in housing supply.

According to a report, staff say they believe they can put together a good application and have suggested the Port Dover Northwest Booster Station as an ideal project. However, eligibility requirements include two criteria of note. The first - a requirement to include four units as-of-right - is a familiar one that has hampered funding applications in the past.

“CHIF requires municipal applicants with a population of greater than 30,000 to implement or be in the process of implementing zoning changes that allow four units as-of-right,” the report said. “In the application, if not already implemented, municipalities would further have to specify how they will be implementing the change.”

This came up during talks of the second phase of the Housing Accelerator Fund. Under that program, there was an exemption opportunity, which Norfolk sought. However, they were unsuccessful, leaving them ineligible to receive HAF dollars.

Staff say there would have to be study and a public process to implement four units as-of-right.

There’s also the possibility that four units as-of-right isn’t as drastic as it sounds.

“Is there enough cushion in the zoning bylaw that people don’t get the impression that every lot in the urban area, residential zone is automatically able to put in four residential units?” asked Coun. Chris Van Paassen, suggesting zoning bylaw requirements such as setbacks, lot coverages and capacity might reduce the number of properties that would be automatically eligible to build four units.

“The answer to the question, directly, I guess, is maybe,” replied General Manager of Community Development Services Brandon Sloan, adding staff will have to do a more careful review to get a better handle on what it would mean.

The second criterion staff raised is the requirement for municipalities with populations larger than 30,000 to put a three-year freeze on development charge fees. As a single-tier municipality, Norfolk would be exempt from this requirement.

“Notwithstanding, it is important to consider the impact a requirement like this could have if it was placed upon Norfolk,” the report read. “While it is the Ministry’s opinion that costs of development charges are a major driver of the inflation of home prices across Canada, at a municipal level, development charges play a vital role in enabling housing by funding the costs of growth-related infrastructure.”

The current stream of the CHIF program provides as maximum of 40 per cent of the cost of the proposed project. Staff estimate the booster station project would cost a total of $10 million.

“Staff believe this project may be a strong candidate based on the program guidelines because its construction will relieve a holding provision relating to insufficient water pressure and fire flows placed on a nearby draft plan of subdivision, directly enabling 449 housing units,” the report said, though it also pointed out the project is not currently in the approved capital budget.

A second stream through the CHIF is expected, which could provide more enhanced funding. The report said it could provide some municipalities with funding for 73 per cent of the project, though it’s unclear how much Norfolk would be eligible for. Should that stream come online, treasurer Amy Fanning said staff would look at much larger projects for consideration.

In addition to requesting endorsement of the booster station, the report also recommended the mayor and/or deputy mayor send a letter to the Federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities that describes the challenges communities like Norfolk face regarding blanket four units as-of-right zoning provisions.