Windsor council says no to four-plexes 'as-of-right,' jeopardizing $40 million of funding

A recent decision by Windsor city council could jeopardize at least $40 million of federal funding earmarked in the Housing Accelerator Fund.

In a special council meeting Wednesday, the majority of councillors voted ‘no’ to a condition laid out by the federal government as part of the funding which would allow four-plex units to be built anywhere in the city.

Windsor would be in line to receive $40 to $70 million to help build infrastructure for more housing.

A staff report before council Wednesday said: “Should Council decline to permit four residential dwelling units, there is a risk that the City may fall short of its targets. Further, such a decision may place the funding requested through the Housing Accelerator Fund in jeopardy.”

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said council didn’t say a “flat out no." Instead, according to Dilkens, they would allow them near transit lines and in already densely-housed areas in a “fair and reasonable, sensible way.”

“So we've volleyed that back to the federal government saying we're not saying no to four-plexes. What we're saying is a fourplex anywhere in the city, any neighborhood where this residential zoning, we're not interested,” said Dilkens.

Dilkens voted against the changes, noting some parts of the city don’t have infrastructure to support a multitude of four-plexes and it could stress the sewer and road network.

“And for us to wholesale say, you know what, we don’t mind if a four-plex is built next to you, I think that’s disrespectful to people in neighbourhoods throughout the city,” Dilkens said.

Kieran McKenzie voted in favour of making the adjustments to the city’s application that would get it approved and produce the funds.

“Your quality of life may be altered, but not dramatically, not diminished,” Coun. McKenzie said about the fear of four-plexes as a by-right policy.

McKenzie believes the risk is minimal but the money is substantial and can help Windsor get ahead of the rapid growth the city is already seeing.

“We need to intensify and do a number of things to improve the housing stock across the entire community,” he said, noting the housing crisis should have everyone thinking of new ways to increase the housing stock.

Mike Moffatt is the founding director of Place Centre, which works with governments, industry, and civil society groups to help create more sustainable communities.

With $4 billion of federal money in the Housing Accelerator Fund split across the country, Moffatt said the federal government has plenty of cities in the queue which are willing to make the bylaw changes in order to accept the money.

Moffatt doesn’t believe the federal government will accept Windsor’s response because it will “water down” the requirements and goes against the intention of the funding.

“So now the city has to figure out how it's going to pay for the infrastructure and everything else. It needs to do without this $40 to $70 million,” Moffatt said, indicating Windsor is only building about 32 per cent of the houses needed to for it to hit the 13,000 homes over 10 years targets set out by the provincial government.

Moffatt also points out with people relocating here for jobs and school, this federal money — and policy change — would have helped.

“If you're going to grow the economy, you're going to have to grow the housing stock or else something is going to give,” he said.