City council notebook: Housing commitment needed to unlock Building Faster Fund

City councilors learned more about the province’s new Building Faster Fund, which could bring Woodstock as much as $1.4 million if it meets certain housing targets.

Announced in late August at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in London, this fund is intended to help cover the cost of any infrastructure needed to support new housing in a community, councilors heard at their Thursday meeting.

To receive this funding, city officials would need to commit to reaching certain housing targets set by the province. If Woodstock met 100 per cent of its target of 5,500 housing units, staff estimated the city would be eligible for approximately $1.4 million.

Another carrot offered by the province for municipalities that commit in writing to achieving these housing targets is the automatic conferral of “strong mayor powers” ​​under the Municipal Act. Introduced in the fall of last year for larger Ontario cities, strong mayor powers include granting authority to the mayor to provide direction to staff, appoint the city’s chief administrative officer or delegate that role to council.

These powers — which also include allowing mayors to propose housing-related bylaws and pass them with the support of one-third of councilors, as well as override council approval of certain bylaws and prepare their city’s budget instead of council — have been decried by critics as undemocratic.

Council received the staff report as information. Mayor Jerry Acchione has until Oct. 15 to commit in writing to achieve Woodstock’s housing target by 2031 to be eligible for the new funding.

Former hydro building sold

Woodstock city council approved the sale of 16 Graham St. – the former Woodstock Hydro building – to the Cora Group and Arnold Spina for redevelopment into a new residential building.

Offered for sale through a public tender process, the city’s focus with this sale was finding buyers interested in creating a high-density residential development in Woodstock’s downtown.

The city received three bids of the property but opted for the proposal that best reflected Woodstock council’s strategic objectives for the downtown.

The proposal involves the construction of a six- to 12-storey building that would include 100 residential units.

More public works staff

City council approved the hiring of a new supervisor and four temporary workers for its public works department.

The additional hires – needed due to recent growth in Woodstock, according to a staff report – will help the city meet minimum maintenance standards and “community expectations” around snow and sidewalk clearing in the winter months.

This request was submitted in advance of the upcoming 2024 budget process so the new hires could be in place starting in January.

Getting ready to budget

City council is already getting ready for 2024 budget deliberations.

Capital budget deliberations are set to become on Nov. 6 with an overview presentation, followed by a more detailed review on Nov. 21. Approval of the capital budget, which pays for the construction and repair of infrastructure like roads, bridge and public buildings, is set for Dec. 14.

The revenue budget process begins on Feb. 15 with another overview presentation, followed by detailed reviews on Feb. 20 and Feb. 22. The final revenue budget approval is slated for March 21.