Windsor council decides not to change zoning rules, putting $70M for housing in jeopardy

Windsor city councillorsmay have effectivelyturned down up to $70 million in federal housing fundingWednesday afternoon after not agreeing toOttawa's demand for changes to zoning rulesto allow for greaterhousing density.

To access at least $40 million, and up to $70 million in federalHousing Accelerator Fund (HAF) money, the City of Windsor would have needed to allow four residential units by right on any property zoned for single-family residential.

It means across broad swathes of the city, as many as four residential units could be allowed on nearly any residential lot with no mechanism for public consultation or council control.

Currently, the city allows three residential units by right: one in a main dwelling and one as an accessory dwelling unit. Those allowances have been in place since 2020.

The recommendation is one of the fund's "best practices" to receive the money,staff said in their report to council.

"While city council has the option to proceed with the HAF application and initiatives as previously approved, Administration is seeking direction from council regarding their appetite to permit four residential dwelling units as of right within low density zoning districts, as requested by the minister of housing," the report stated.

The city applied to the HAF over the summer with a suite ofoptions approved by council at the time. Those directions include allowing four units by right in parts of the city that staff say they identified as having the infrastructure to support more people.

"Significant uptake could have an impact on established neighbourhoods by changing the landscape that residents did not anticipate, and making demands on services such as sewer capacity, traffic, parking, enhance flooding issues, etc," staff wrote of the four-unit change. "Increasing the number of units permitted must consider the infrastructure and environmental impacts."

Recently, staff say, they heard back from the federal housingministry about issues they wanted to see addressed in Windsor's application namely, the four-unit allowance.

WATCH: Why this council watcher is frustrated by start time change

Why this council watcher is frustrated by start time change

9 months ago

Duration 2:01

Kelly Ippolito was the lone delegate at city hall when councilors decided to shift start times to 10 a.m. and said that this move prevents people from being able to engage with council.

"We've also been told committing to four units as of right is and I will quote, a minimum ticket to enter access to the funding," said Jelena Payne, the city's commissioner of economic development. "We've also beenadvised the program is oversubscribed and if commitments aren't made today they will move on to other applications."

It's a requirement the federal government has added in other places that have received the money, staff noted, including London and Calgary.

And, the decision was needed soon: Staff say they had a meeting with housing officials on Nov. 30, and it was relayed thata decision was expected back before the holidays. Council discussed the issue at a special meeting called for this reason on Wednesday.

According to staff, the funding on the line related to the decision was a minimum of $40 million in base funding and as much as $70 million total after otherfunding.

Councillors expressed concerns ranging from flooding to intensification and quality of life.

"For a risk-reward situation Ithink the risk is just too high to move forward with option two and the reward is just not there especially when we hear from our residents pretty frequently what the concerns are, how fast we're growing and how fast we're moving," sad Ward 1 Coun. Fred Francis.

Francis made the motion to accept option 1 from the report, to proceed with the city's application as previously approved and not make the changes to the unit requirements.

"A lot of people think we're moving too fast already. To accelerate that even further with this change the federal government is asking of us I just don't think that's what the people of Windsor want to see right now," he said.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said of the roughly 80,000 homes in Windsor, the city has received just 23 applications for a third unit.

In the last five years, the city has received about 200 applications for accessory dwelling units, according to thestaff report.

"We also have to acknowledge we have a challenge and the challenge is largely based on two issues in my humble opinion: A lot of immigration to the country, I am a product of an immigrantIt's not about being anti-immigration, but you have to have a policy that sensibly correlates to the housing that folks coming here have to have in order to be successful to live in. And then you lay on an international student policy," Dilkens said.

"The conditions that are attached may have a dramatic impact on quality of life."

Staff said they did not immediately foresee the quadrupling of units in the citybut said some parts of the city would see the changes first, like near the downtown and University of Windsor, and that could pose a challenge to the city's infrastructure, like transit, in those areas.

Ward 9 Coun. Kieran McKenzie opposed the motion to stay the course, noting the housing crisis the city is facing.

"It always comes back to, for me, we're in a crisis and a crisis that is significantly impacting the quality of life in our community," McKenzie said. "With this opportunity in front of us I am not discounting the challenges it will represent but Ithink it's just too much to say no to given the circumstances that exist in Windsor today."

The other dissenting council vote was that of Ward 3 Coun. Renaldo Agostino.

"By doing this we're actually not serving our biggest issue, which is finding homes for people," Agostino said on the motion.

The final vote of council was eight in favour of the motion including Dilkens, two opposed, with Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante absent from the meeting.