Straight Talk
Increase the Amount of Housing Available!
Issue
The Housing Crisis – Waterloo Region is no longer an affordable place to live. I want my children and yours to be able to afford to buy a home here someday. That’s looking more and more out of reach for a lot of people.
Solution
We must increase the supply of housing to satisfy the demand and improve the approvals process so that we get homes built faster. It’s all about supply and demand. Right now, there is way more demand for housing than we are providing. If we were, the average home price wouldn’t be $875,000 and the median rent for a one bedroom wouldn’t be $1,700 per month. We need more inventory of housing and we need it now.
Steps to The Solution
01
Agree
We have to agree upon a standardised measurement for calculating the need for housing that both Council AND Developers agree upon. Currently there are two different measurements and it’s not working.
02
Recognize
We must recognize the problems created by the creation of the countryside line and find more land for homebuilders to build on. What started as a great idea to incentivize urban density has inadvertently turned our Region into Canada’s largest gated community. An exclusive place where few can afford to live.
03
Improve
Improve the approvals process for homebuilders to speed up production. It is taking years to get homes built in the Region and we need homes now. Let’s cut through the red tape. For example, we need one level of decision making on plan approvals. Currently there are 3.
Solve the Homeless Crisis Now!
Issue
The Unsheltered Crisis – There are now over 1,000 people living unsheltered in the Region of Waterloo
Solution
First and foremost, we need to find shelter for all. We must look at ways to ensure this never happens again
01
Proper Housing
Get people out of these encampments and into proper housing. Some in Group Setting, some in Tiny Homes, some into subsidized housing
02
Lobby Provincial Government
Lobby the provincial government to increase spending for the unsheltered and Increase the amount of ODSP and “Ontario Works Benefit” paid out to individuals so they can afford the most basic rent
03
Work Together
Work with local not for profit sector like the House of Friendship to provide these people with the supports they need to succeed so that we can ensure that a crisis at this level never happens again.
Economic Development
Issue
Community – How can we continue to build upon the success we are already experiencing here in the Waterloo Region
Solution
It’s Time to Move the Aud Downtown!
01
Recognize
Recognize that old Aud has served the community well but that it no longer meets our needs for a World Class Facility and in fact is costing us more simply to maintain it rather than replace it.
02
Togetherness
Work together as a Region to design and build a new, beautiful world class Entertainment and Conference facility that will become the shining star of the downtown making it the gathering point for all things Waterloo Region
03
Increase Profit
Sell the lands surrounding the old Aud to homebuilders to pay for the new facility and provide more infill housing at the exact same time!
Climate Change
Issue
Profit From Plastics – How Can We Have a Greater Impact on the Environment?
Solution
Let’s Build Public/Private Partnerships with our Post Secondary Schools and find ways to tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental concerns
01
Agree
Meet with representatives from all 3 of our Post Secondary Institutions and determine where the greatest need is for new applicable solutions to our climate crisis and create a fund that students can apply for to research and develop new products, processes and techniques
02
Recognize
Once developed, apply these products, processes and techniques to work in our own Regional facilities like the landfill to see if they can truly help us to increase efficiency and decrease our carbon footprint
03
Improve
Develop a business model whereby we can sell our services to other municipalities for profit and ways in which we can sell the actual product/processes to countries around the world.