Housing Projects and Initiatives

The Brantford – Brant Housing Stability Plan 2014 - 2024 (2017 PROGRESS REPORT) guides the housing and homelessness vision that incorporates solutions and initiatives to a range of housing options and supports, with a focus on dignity, pride in community and self-sufficiency over the next decade.

• Brantford-Brant Housing Stability Plan 2014-2024 (Five Year Review and Update)

In 2019, Council directed staff to complete a 10-year Municipal Housing Master Plan that established a plan for the development of 506 units by the municipality and 337 units by non-profit community partners over the next 10 years.

The City of Brantford and County of Brant are rapidly becoming a ‘community of choice’ for individuals, families and students seeking affordable housing options. Over the past several years the demand for housing has outpaced availability and new development, resulting in lower vacancy rates and higher housing costs. It is increasingly difficult for potential home buyers and renters to find suitable options, creating significant impacts across the housing continuum including:

• delayed home ownership for young families
• limits on economic growth and labour supply 
• households spending a high percentage of their income on housing
• inability for households to transition out of subsidized housing into the private rental market and higher incidence of homelessness

These impacts are compounded by a nationwide opioid crisis and challenges related to untreated mental health or addiction concerns. Suitable housing for some individuals must also include access to treatment and support, with the lack of these options resulting in significant personal and societal cost. Housing affordability and availability is a shared responsibility between all levels of government, the private sector and non-profit community. More housing units are required across the housing continuum, from supportive housing to home ownership, to meet this growing local need.

Reaching Home is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness by providing direct support and funding to Designated Communities (urban centres), Indigenous communities, territorial communities and rural and remote communities across Canada.

The City of Brantford is one of 68 designated Community Entities across Canada who are receiving federal Reaching Home funding from the Designated Communities stream.

Community Entities receiving Reaching Home funding are required to complete and publish annual public reports known as Community Homelessness Reports to track their progress towards targets and outcomes. The Community Homelessness Report (CHR) supports the transition to an outcomes-based approach to reducing homelessness using a more coordinated, systems-based and data-driven response.

Reports are submitted to the federal government annually.

• 2020–2021 Community Homelessness Report Summary 
• 2021–2022 Community Homelessness Report Summary
• 2022-2023 Community Homelessness Report Summary
• 2023-2024 Community Homelessness Report Summary

The Point-in-Time (PiT) Counts are a community-level measure of sheltered and unsheltered homelessness. It also provides a national picture of homelessness.

• 2021 PiT Count Report
• 2023 PiT Count Report

 

Completed in 2020, this building features 30 studio units, five that are barrier-free. Tenancies are established for people who are actively participating in the Live Well Brantford-Brant Supportive Housing Program. This program is focused on the goal of reducing homelessness and providing supportive housing to people who have experienced chronic homelessness and the greatest difficulties of obtaining and maintaining housing.

Completed in 2021, this building has four separate studio units, one that is barrier-free. This building was completed as a Compact, Affordable, Sustainable and Efficient (CASE) Home Demonstration Project. Tenancies are established from the Centralized Housing Waitlist.

Completed in 2023, this building features 26 studio units including four that are barrier-free on the upper three levels. The main level of the building is commercial office space. Tenancies at this building are prioritized for older adults experiencing chronic housing instability.  

The City purchased Lucy Marco Place from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2022 and repurposed it to provide safe and stable housing for some of the City’s most vulnerable citizens. This development offers transitional and permanent housing solutions with embedded supports from community partners to help residents transition successfully and maintain stable living environments.

Opened in 2024, the six-storey building adds 41 one- and three-bedroom units to house individuals and families.

In March 2022, the City of Brantford and the County of Brant approved the creation of a new affordable housing build on Trillium Way in Paris, Ontario, one of the collaborative projects being implemented to achieve the deliverables set out in the Mayors’ Housing Partnerships Task Force Affordable Housing Action Plan.

This 49-unit building will feature one- and two-bedroom units and is scheduled to achieve construction completion in Spring 2025.

In August 2024, Council authorized City staff to proceed with the agreement of purchase and sale for the acquisition of the Fox Ridge Community Care facility at 389 West Street, Brantford. 

The acquisition of 389 West Street is an investment in short and long-range planning for temporary and permanent housing options in Brantford.

The vision for this property is to develop the existing building and land for various temporary and permanent housing options along the housing continuum, utilizing a phased approach, prioritizing greatest community need to fully realize the potential of the property.

Initial construction is anticipated to begin in the latter half of 2025.