Sault Ste. Marie also exceeds 2023 housing targets
Following a stop in Greater Sudbury on Friday, Rob Flack, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Housing, also made the trip to Sault Ste. Marie.
Ontario’s Associate Minister of Housing Rob Flack presented the City of Sault Ste. Marie with a cheque for $600,000 to invest in housing and infrastructure. April 5, 2024. (X/Rob Flack)
Flack presented the city with a cheque for $600,000 to invest in housing and infrastructure.
The Sault broke ground on 213 new housing units last year – exceeding its target by 194 per cent.
Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker along with the rest of city council said they will do what they can to keep up the momentum.
Shoemaker said the $600,000 in provincial funding is a testament to the city’s busy building season last year and that he anticipates more progress this year.
“Just last council meeting, we approved the biggest change to the zoning bylaw since it was implemented in the late 60s,” he said.
“(This) will allow multiple units on basically any property to help densify the city and help use the existing services to serve more people.”
The provincial funding will be used to build or upgrade supporting infrastructure, such as increasing sewer and water capacity.
Sault MPP Ross Romano said that the city is on the right track with housing development.
“We’re building here in Sault Ste. Marie and that’s a good thing,” said Romano.
“Obviously, we want to see more housing starts, we want to see more housing finishes.”
The MPP added that for the Sault community to be ahead of the game in this regard is positive.
“We wanted, as a government, to ensure that we rewarded that type of behaviour with extra funding,” said Romano.
“So $600,000 for the City of Sault Ste. Marie is a very good thing.”
The city still has to submit a plan to the province on how it intends to use the funding but Shoemaker told CTV News that he anticipates it will be used to facilitate housing starts on under-serviced land.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi found dead at helicopter crash site, state media says
Iranian president, the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after a search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest.
Court eases internet restrictions for Sask. man who matched with a 15-year-old girl on Tinder
A Saskatchewan man who had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder successfully appealed to shorten release conditions barring him from online dating.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
What do we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter carrying Iran's president?
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
Ex-partner charged with first-degree murder after 55-year-old woman killed in Montreal
Less than 24 hours after Montreal's 12th homicide investigation began, Montreal police confirmed that a 55-year-old woman's death in St. Michel is the island's 13th homicide. The woman's ex-spouse has been charged with first-degree murder.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
Toxic drugs circulating in northeastern Ont., police say
Canada’s largest First Nations police service, the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service issued a community safety alert as extremely toxic drugs are likely circulating in many of the communities it serves.