Abandoned properties could ease northern Ont. housing crisis

As the province comes under scrutiny for its handling of Ontario’s housing crisis, a small northern town says it has been sitting on a solution to its housing shortage for years.

People in the Unincorporated Town of Gogama say workers at the nearby Cote Gold mine need housing.

The problem is that the province has been holding onto around 20 abandoned properties that already have interested buyers.

NDP MPP France Gélinas has been trying to get them put up for sale, but says no action has been taken.

The issue is in the spotlight at the same time as criticisms have emerged related to the province’s handling of the housing crisis and preference to develop the Greenbelt.

“It took them three weeks to sell an $8.2 billion piece of property,” Gélinas said.

“They have been working on this for over three years and they cannot go through the process of putting them up for sale.”

She first asked the province’s infrastructure minister to act on the issue in 2021. After requesting an update this year, Gélinas was told it would take another 24 months.

People in the Unincorporated Town of Gogama say workers at the nearby Cote Gold mine need housing. The problem is that the province has been holding onto around 20 abandoned properties that already have interested buyers. (Photo from video)

Meanwhile, community officials said people are constantly asking to buy the properties.

“They would be gone in a matter of seconds,” said Christine Bedard of the Gogama Chamber of Commerce.

“That would boost the economy. It would (potentially) bring in and build new businesses in the community. To be able to bring in new families, families where their children could attend school.”

“Every which way, everybody wins, but the government won’t move, added Daniel Mantha of the Gogama Local Services Board.

“They’ve been crying about the housing crisis, and here we are with almost 20 properties in Gogama and they do nothing.”

The properties are connected to utilities, they said, but the buildings have fallen into disrepair.

Meanwhile, existing rental accommodations are almost always full.

“There’s such a high demand for workers and there’s not much accommodations, so we keep those houses for workers right now, said property owner Monique Laurin.

“You feel bad. You try to accommodate and try to move people around.”

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Gélinas said this has been going on for too long and that all the province needs to do is give the OK to move ahead.

“So that the people of Gogama, the community of Gogama, benefit from the billions of dollars being spent across the road,” she said.

And Gélinas said she’ll even install the ‘for sale’ signs herself.

CTV News contacted the Ministry of Infrastructure for an update on the issue and did not get a reply.