Bruce County hosts housing forum: Together in Action

In celebration of National Housing Day, Bruce County hosted a housing forum, Wednesday, Nov. 19, at The Plex in Port Elgin.

This full-day event, themed Together in Action, united a diverse group of stakeholders, including builders, developers, non-profits, funders, policy-makers, community partners and municipal leaders, to collaborate on housing solutions for the county.

The forum opened with a welcome and introduction by warden Luke Charbonneau. He shared the importance of fostering partnerships, sharing knowledge and driving collaborative action to address housing needs across the region.

The county outlined a long-term vision for housing that spans all types, from transitional and supportive options, community and not-for-profit housing, to private market rental and homeownership. This approach emphasizes the importance of planning, policy development, investment and collaboration to address housing needs and drive meaningful action over the next decade in the county.

“We are focused on improving housing options for Bruce County residents at all income levels,” said Charbonneau. “The well-being of our communities depends on the development of affordable and attainable housing. That is why local municipalities, non-profits and private developers are collaborating to turn housing challenges into real, sustainable housing solutions.”

The forum showcased successful partnerships driving housing solutions, including collaborations between private sector leaders, such as Bruce Power and Bruce County, as well as aligning initiatives between local municipalities and the county to develop housing.

Bruce County's Housing Cross-Functional Team provided updates on the Bruce County Housing Action Plan, detailing progress in research, policy, advocacy efforts and incentive programs designed to increase housing supply and improve affordability.

Several local municipalities shared updates on housing accelerator programs, infrastructure investments, Community Improvement Plan incentives, and proposed housing projects on municipal lands. Developers offered both private market and non-profit perspectives on current housing development challenges and opportunities.

Building capacity for new housing development emerged as a central theme throughout the day. Representatives from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Tapestry Community Capital shared information on innovative funding models and communities of practice to support housing developers.

“This event brought together leaders and innovators from both the private and non-profit sectors for meaningful conversations on housing solutions,” said Claire Dodds, commissioner of community development at the county. “The enthusiastic momentum from the participants making connections will advance housing development in Bruce County. By aligning efforts across multiple levels of government, non-profit organizations, and private developers, we can make real, measurable progress to Build in Bruce.”

Build in Bruce is an initiative by Bruce County, focused on supporting private and non-profit developers to build affordable housing across the region. It’s part of the county’s broader Housing Action Plan, which aligns with the 2023–26 Strategic Plan to increase housing options and foster innovative solutions for a strong, inclusive community. Learn more at www.brucecounty.on.ca/buildinbruce.



Taking part in a panel discussion at the Bruce County housing forum, are Rhonda Niesen (left), South Bruce economic development officer; Fiona Hamilton, Brockton director of legal and legislative services; Kristen Sears, Saugeen Shores planning policy co-ordinator; and Monica Morrison, Bruce County manager of planning and development