Feds send $25 million to Whitby housing accelerator

The Federal Government is sending $25 million to Whitby for the town to fast-track 650 builds in the next three years and 18,000 over the next decade.

Whitby MP Ryan Turnbull and Mayor Elizabeth Roy announced the funding on Jan. 23 The pair said the funds will accelerate Whitby’s action plan to support nine local initiatives in building a range of different types of homes.

While the funds don’t go directly into builds, they are used to speed up the approval and construction process. It’s used to allow electronic permits, four-unit quadplexes “as-of-right” and disposing town land to build new affordable housing.

Whitby is focusing on modular homes and alternative construction materials, purpose-built rentals, and encouraging higher housing density around major transit stations.

“We are excited and proud to announce this partnership with Whitby today. By allowing four units as-of-right, expediting the approval processes and incentivizing the use of alternative construction materials during the building process, the Town will ensure that Whitby has more of the kind of homes we need to tackle the housing crisis,” said Housing Minister Sean Fraser.

“With federal funding,we are changing how towns get housing built in their municipalities. With a greater focus on higher-density housing, student housing, homes near transit and affordable housing, we are going to get more homes built for Whitby at prices residents can afford,” Turnbull said.

The homes are in dire need as Whitby, and Durham Region more broadly, are expected to see a major population boom in the next few decades. The Durham Region population is expected to hit 1.3 million people by 2051, adding 577,000. The province estimates the Region population will grow 40 per cent by 2046.