Stratford Launches Urgent Consultations on Housing Crisis

URGENT UPDATE: Stratford, Perth County, and St. Marys are taking immediate steps to address a growing housing and homelessness crisis. The municipalities will hold critical consultations throughout August, inviting residents to shape a comprehensive 10-year housing and homelessness plan set to launch this fall.

These consultations are essential as the region grapples with alarming housing trends. A recent assessment revealed that housing prices in Stratford have surged five times faster than incomes since 2016, highlighting a dire need for actionable solutions.

The consultations will occur in Stratford on August 12 at the city hall auditorium, in St. Marys on August 20 at Pyramid Centre, and in Listowel on August 21 at the Steve Kerr Memorial Complex. Each session will run from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Residents can also offer their feedback via an online survey at engagestratford.ca starting August 11.

The focus of the new plan will rest on four critical pillars: ending homelessness, creating attainable housing options, sustaining community housing, and addressing diverse needs. The urgency of this initiative is underscored by the fact that as of April this year, there were 148 households experiencing homelessness across the three municipalities, including 109 single adults, 18 youth, and 21 families.

Stratford’s director of social services, Kim McElroy, emphasized that the reported figures reflect only those declaring they lack a permanent address, which does not account for individuals who may be “couch surfing” or inadequately housed. This highlights the critical and often hidden nature of homelessness in the area.

Despite the urgency, the announcement has sparked frustration on social media. Many residents expressed that consultations alone are insufficient. One local commented, “All Stratford does is TALK about homelessness… how about taking action and actually doing something about it?”

The housing needs assessment conducted by the University of Windsor’s Centre for Cities revealed a significant mismatch between available housing and the needs of residents. For instance, 60 percent of Stratford’s housing stock consists of homes with more than three bedrooms, while only 40 percent of households have three or more members. Alarmingly, one-person households are expected to grow 2.7 times faster than families of two or more in the coming decade.

As these consultations unfold, the municipalities face mounting pressure to deliver tangible results. The community is eager for decisive action to mitigate the housing crisis that continues to impact lives across Stratford, Perth County, and St. Marys. What happens next will be vital in shaping the future of housing in these areas.

Stay tuned for updates as the consultations progress and the community voices its concerns and ideas for effective solutions.