Affordable housing action

View our staff report: Ontario Housing Target and Pledge.

Ontario has assigned specific housing targets to its 50 largest municipalities. These municipalities are encouraged to meet their targets through the $1.2 billion Building Faster Fund, which rewards those that reach at least 80 per cent of their annual target with funding. Additionally, municipalities are required to develop municipal housing pledges, detailing the tools and strategies they will use to meet their assigned targets.

The City has been assigned a 10-year housing target from 2021-2031 to create 4,300 additional dwelling units. The City plans for a target of 12,000 dwelling units during this time period. The City’s housing pledge is comprised of the following actions:

• Ontario government housing target and pledge
• Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan
• Update to the Official Plan
• Housekeeping Zoning by-law amendments
• New Comprehensive Zoning by-law
• Ontario road infrastructure improvements
• Implementation and update to the Downtown and Health and Wellness CIP
• Implementation and update to the Brownfield CIP
• Community Trails Strategy implementation
• Development Charges by-law
• Community Housing and Infrastructure Accelerator – North-West Secondary Plan Area
• Urban forestry guidelines, policies, and programs
• Municipal modernization program for building, planning, and by-law

As of December 10, 2024, the City has helped create 1929 dwelling units.

Visit the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee web page.

The Affordable Housing Committee's purpose is to identify affordable housing matters, conduct research, and advise City Council on affordable housing policies, proposals, and matters referred to the committee by Council.

Visit madeinwelland.ca to find out more about the Affordable Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan.

The Affordable Rental Housing CIP consists of a series of financial incentive programs for private property owners and non-profit housing providers interested in developing affordable housing.

The City will maintain a list of surplus City owned lands available for purchase for affordable development. Non-profit developers looking to produce affordable housing on a surplus City owned land may be eligible to receive a low cost, long term lease on that land subject to Council approval.

View the Official Plan and Zoning by-law.

The City maintains and implements Official Plan policies and a Comprehensive Zoning by-law which provide significant shovel-ready opportunities for affordable and market housing development in Welland. This includes Zoning by-law exemptions for housing delivered on or on behalf of the City, Region of Niagara, the Ontario Government, and the Government of Canada.

View the development charge by-law exemptions.

The City of Welland provides up to a 100 per cent local development charge exemption for non-profit housing, for up to two-accessory dwelling units, housing on brownfields, and housing in the Downtown and Health and Wellness Community Improvement Plan area. This represents a savings of anywhere between $4,726 to $11,120 per unit depending on unit type.

The Encampment Task Force is focused on addressing encampments. It includes members of the homelessness task force and meets regularly with members of the Niagara Region, Niagara Regional Police Service, The Hope Centre, and Niagara Assertive Street Outreach. This active involvement ensures that the City's voice is heard and its efforts are coordinated. Since 2023, the City has provided funding for temporary emergency homeless shelters.

More information on encampments in Welland can be found here: Encampments and Homelessness.

The Homelessness Working Group is comprised of staff from the City, Niagara Region, Hope Centre, and Mainstream-Gateway. It meets monthly and focuses on housing solutions and supports.

In 2024, Council approved leasing 851 Ontario Road as the location for a 50-bed, year-round housing-focused homeless shelter to Niagara Regional Housing.

More information on homelessness in Welland can be found here: Encampments and Homelessness.

The City of Welland's affordable housing actions are developed and aimed at fostering partnerships and collaboration between the City and other public bodies, including the Niagara Region, provincial and federal governments, non-profit organizations, and the private sector.

The City offers efficient and effective customer service for both affordable and market rate housings. If you have questions about developing housing in Welland please contact devserv@welland.ca, call 905-735-1700, or come in person to City Hall.

The City offers fast and free pre-consultation meeting service to identify the information required to begin a development application with the City. This provides potential applicants with a clear path forward to approval. Most requests for a meeting are accommodated in less than two weeks.

A pre-consultation meeting can be requested here: Pre-consultation Request Form.

Visit Made in Welland for more information.

Economic growth is a strategic priority in the City of Welland Strategic Plan 2023-2026. The City believes that continued economic investment and the availability of good paying jobs are critical components to creating housing affordability.

Health, well-being, and livability are strategic priorities in the City of Welland Strategic Plan 2023-2026. The City of Welland has been making significant investments in maintaining and expanding community services including parks improvements, new parks, multi-use trail expansion, urban forestry, and recreational programming. This supports the creation of affordable housing by ensuring Welland is an affordable and livable community for all residents.