Data shows strong housing affordability in Brant County
Data findings show housing is affordable for the vast majority of Brant County residents, but one local councillor says there is still some reason for concern.
Eighty-five per cent of Brant County residents live in homes that meet affordability criteria for Canada, the administration and operations committee heard last week.
The number, pulled from the 2021 Statistics Canada census profile, is based on the criteria that no more than 30 per cent of before-tax household income goes toward housing.
In nearby communities like Waterloo and Hamilton, the percentage of residents living in homes that meet affordability criteria is closer to 76, according to the profile.
However, Coun. Lukas Oakley — a strong proponent for affordable housing — told The Spectator the statistic gives him “little reassurance.”
“That last 15 per cent contains our most vulnerable populations: those on disability, with mental-health issues, the younger generation, and many of our elders,” Oakley said, adding it would be “a disservice” to become complacent.
It was just one of the findings the World Council on City Data (WCCD) shared with councillors last week.
The organization compiles standardized, independently verified data from over 100 participating cities across 40 countries to help municipalities inform planning, economic development, or internal or global benchmarks — among other uses, Patricia McCarney, president and chief executive officer of WCCD told the committee last week.
Over the past five years, the county has shared data for a track focused on sustainable development of communities, using indicators like housing, safety, environment and food security. The data will help to “increase quality of life” for locals, while informing “evidence-based decision-making and data-driven solutions,” McCarney told councillors.
On Tuesday, McCarney presented Mayor David Bailey with the county’s fifth platinum certification — the highest level — from the WCCD, recognizing the county’s commitment to standardized data.
In addition to naming Brant a “national leader,” for affordable housing, Justine Hamilton-Arvisais, the director of city certification and data applications at WCCD, highlighted several other key data points for the county, exemplifying “leadership on a Canadian and global stage.”
The data was compared with local municipalities like Toronto and Waterloo, and global cities including Brisbane, Dubai and Reykjavik.
Celeste Percy-Beauregard’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report on stories about Brant County. Reach her at cpercybeauregard@torstar.ca.
Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator
