More affordable housing is coming to Collingwood in 2026After a successful $40-million affordable housing project was completed at the corner of Second and High street back in 2019, the Town of Collingwood has approved the donation of lands at 29 and 45 Birch St with construction set to begin this summer on a new 30-unit, 3-story building.
Collingwood Learning Centre
The 2019 project included commercial space on the ground floor that has been home to the Collingwood Learning Centre, which has offered a range of educational programs for adults, including college-level credit courses in English, math and social sciences, English as a second language (ESL) programs and the Literacy and essential skills program to aid in employment.
80% of the market rate
The new 30-unite project set to open in the Spring of 2026 will offer bachelor, one, two and three-bedroom units at 80% of the going-rate for each, respectively. At today's cost of rent, that would suggest the following approximate prices for each:
- Studio or Bachelor ($800)
- One bedroom ($1,047)
- Two bedroom ($1,231)
- Three bedroom ($1,357)
Zoning is the problem
The push for more affordable housing is touching all parts of Ontario (and Canada) and it the demand won't be met with the construction of more single-family homes. Multi-family projects such as this is where towns like Collingwood and Wasaga Beach must go, but zoning regulations are still keeping many would-be landlords from helping to alleviate the housing shortage.
The new project in Collingwood is a step in the right direction, but it's ultimately a drop in the bucket. Regulations need to change to encourage residents to help address housing demand by making better use of the properties they own.
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After a successful $40-million affordable housing project was completed at the corner of Second and High street back in 2019, the Town of Collingwood has approved the donation of lands at 29 and 45 Birch St with construction set to begin this summer on a new 30-unit, 3-story building.
Collingwood Learning Centre
The 2019 project included commercial space on the ground floor that has been home to the Collingwood Learning Centre, which has offered a range of educational programs for adults, including college-level credit courses in English, math and social sciences, English as a second language (ESL) programs and the Literacy and essential skills program to aid in employment.
80% of the market rate
The new 30-unite project set to open in the Spring of 2026 will offer bachelor, one, two and three-bedroom units at 80% of the going-rate for each, respectively. At today's cost of rent, that would suggest the following approximate prices for each:
- Studio or Bachelor ($800)
- One bedroom ($1,047)
- Two bedroom ($1,231)
- Three bedroom ($1,357)
Zoning is the problem
The push for more affordable housing is touching all parts of Ontario (and Canada) and it the demand won't be met with the construction of more single-family homes. Multi-family projects such as this is where towns like Collingwood and Wasaga Beach must go, but zoning regulations are still keeping many would-be landlords from helping to alleviate the housing shortage.
The new project in Collingwood is a step in the right direction, but it's ultimately a drop in the bucket. Regulations need to change to encourage residents to help address housing demand by making better use of the properties they own.