City of Kingston, Ont. commits to building 8,000 residential units by 2031

The City of Kingston in southeastern Ontario has set a lofty goal to combat the housing shortage.

It’s no secret that housing has been in short supply in Kingston, and across the country.

Council has pledged to build thousands of housing units within a decade, though it was not agreed upon unanimously.

At Tuesday night’s council meeting, the city set an ambitious goal to try and tackle the housing problem pledging to have 8,000 residential units built and lived in by 2031.

The timeline is no coincidence, either.

It follows Ontario’s “More Homes Built Faster” law, giving 29 municipalities less than a decade to achieve rapid housing goals.

“I think the housing pledge basically confirms the direction that the city was going in anyway,” said Mayor Bryan Paterson.

The motion passed by a vote of 10-to-2, and the two opponents didn’t mince words about the provincial directive.

“If they’re already telling us to do something we’re already doing then why are they making us pledge to do it? It’s redundant,” said Coun. Brandon Tozzo, who voted against the pledge.

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Despite a province-wide labour shortage in the housing construction industry the mayor is confident the local goal can be met. The city can’t do it alone, though, he says.

“As a city, yep, we’re ready to go, but obviously, we’re going to need private developers, non-profit housing providers, land and funding from upper levels of government,” added Paterson.

“I think we need to keep our eye on the ball and make sure that the very things that make people stay in Kingston, we can create. We can make nice parks, we can have good city facilities, we can make sure that people can afford apartments and afford houses,” Tozzo told Global News.

While residents want more housing that’s affordable, some say it shouldn’t have a negative impact on neighbourhoods and the environment.

There are two large-scale housing projects currently being appealed including the 1,600 unit tannery lands proposal.

So, now, the clock starts.

The city has eight years to figure out how to get 8,000 residential units built.