Celebrating Progress on Affordable Housing—and Pushing for More
Last week, the Region of Waterloo announced a significant milestone: they have surpassed their five-year affordable housing target—one year ahead of schedule. Under their Building Better Futures plan, the Region had aimed to create 2,500 new affordable homes over five years. Four years in, and more than 2,700 homes are now in development. This is a remarkable achievement.
It’s easy to be critical of politicians these days. In a world where smartphones give us constant access to information—and allow us to weigh in on every issue—it’s easy to feel like we can do better. It’s all too common for folks to criticize without offering real solutions, leaving the impression that nothing is being done. So when governments do make progress, it's important to recognize it.
However, even as we applaud this achievement, it’s important to acknowledge that this progress, while significant, still falls short of the overall need. Housing is a dual reality: every new home built is a success, but it also highlights how much more needs to be done. While 2,700 homes is an impressive number, it’s not enough to solve the housing crisis. There are still countless families and individuals waiting for a place they can afford to call home.
When the Region commits to unlocking public land, investing in housing, and innovating to build faster, it’s encouraging. We need more of this "get things done" attitude from all levels of government. It's something we’re fortunate to see here in Waterloo Region, and we ought to expect it from all politicians, regardless of where they sit.
Take, for example, the call from Habitat for Humanity across the country for the federal government to remove the HST on purpose-built affordable ownership homes. It’s a policy change that could help make affordable housing projects more feasible. As boring as tax policy might sound to some, it can have a real, tangible impact on the affordability of homes. It’s worth noting that in October, the average townhouse in Waterloo Region sold for over $640,000. If we were to rebuild the 45-unit townhouse complex Habitat for Humanity completed earlier this year, that’s an additional $2.6 million in HST we would have to pay—money that could be better spent on building more homes.
As a community, we need to strike a balance between celebrating what’s been accomplished and recognizing the urgency of the ongoing housing crisis. When our political leaders deliver on their promises, we should acknowledge their success. But we also need to keep the pressure on, pushing for more, pushing for faster progress, and pushing for the long-term solutions that are so desperately needed.
And we can push all levels of government to keep going. To not be complacent. To do more than just talk about housing but to get something done. Hopefully they all take a page out of the Region’s handbook on this one.
Philip Mills, CEO Habitat Waterloo Region
