This Week at City Hall

Wednesday, August 12
Executive Committee (11:45 am): Coming up this week is, once again, the Housing Incentives Policy! This'll be it's fourth time before Exec Committee (previously came up March 17, March 31, and April 14). The goal of the policy is to stimulate the construction of affordable housing in the city -- a much needed commodity. Exec committee keeps referring the policy back to administration, however, as they don't want to move to support housing in any significant way until the province comes through with a serious commitment to affordable housing.

Well, last time this came up, Exec Committee asked for advice on what elements of the policy could be passed pending more information from the province on what they're planning housing-wise.

Admin's answer: pretty much all of it.

Looks like they're suggesting most of the provisions in the policy can be passed as is. That means things like the $4,000 incentive for Secondary Suites; the tax incentives for new small-sized developments; and the design, sustainability and safety requirements. Two provisions that have been altered though are the grants of $10,000/unit of new affordable housing and the tax exemptions for larg-scale new developments. The policy will still include these provisions, but they will only be handed out to developments which are given provincial support at "historic levels."

So, under the policy, as long as the province holds up its end of the bargain and keeps funding housing the way it has been, the city will guarantee more support as well.

Now, I have my guess about how this'll fare but I'm going to write it down, seal it in an envelope, and keep it secret until after the meeting so as not to jinx anything.

Meanwhile, Exec Committee will also be considering a 7.14 per cent increase to the Service Agreement Fees for 2010 which brings them up to $227,289/hectare, (Service Agreement Fees are collected from developers to cover the cost of installing infrastructure into new subdivisions); acquisition of lands to facilitate a drainage channel to convey surface water from the Global Transportation Hub into Cottonwood Creek; and, finally, funding levels for the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.

As always, full reports and agendas can be found on the city's website.