Housing
Availability of affordable and diverse housing types is a priority with watershed residents.
In the Severn Sound watershed:
- Social housing and homes for the aged are the responsibility of Simcoe County and District governments. Simcoe County’s Health & Social Services Department plays a key role in addressing homelessness.
- Four long term care homes, one of which is in Penetanguishene (Georgian Manor), are operated by Simcoe County.
- Housing affordability may be affected as land becomes more expensive in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and this pushes up land and housing costs in the watershed. Median rents currently range from $689 to $897.
- Homeless population is unknown.
- Community Link North Simcoe offers Housing Support Services to help prevent homelessness.
- Municipalities have policies to provide a mix of housing types (variety of houses, levels of affordability and lot sizes).
- Municipalities such as Springwater expect that adult lifestyle communities could make up a significant portion of growth over the next 20 years. Most municipal official plans mention providing housing for seniors and acknowledge the seasonal nature of some of their housing stock.