Body: Housing Advisory Task Force
Type: Minutes
Meeting: Committee Meeting
Date: February 11, 2026
Collection: Committees and Task Forces
[View Document (PDF)](/docs/north-frontenac/Committees and Task Forces/Housing Advisory Task Force/2026/Notes/Housing Advisory Task Force - 11 Feb 2026 - Minutes Pdf.pdf)
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North Frontenac Housing Advisory Task Force Minutes February 11, 2026
Housing Advisory Task Force Minutes 9:00 AM - Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Council Chambers
Present:
Mayor Gerry Lichty (Chair); Councillor John Inglis; JP Melville; Tom
Hunter and Steve Sunderland.
Absent with Regret:
Councillor Wayne Good
Also Present:
Kelly Watkins, Dipl.M.A., Dipl.M.M., Treasurer and Brooke Ross,
Dipl.M.A., Dipl.M.M., Manager of Community Development (MCD)
Call to Order The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 9:00 a.m.
Traditional Land Acknowledgement
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof None.
Housing Advisory Task Force Notes
a) Notes of the January 14, 2026 HATF Meeting as approved via email and were received for information at the February 6, 2026 Regular Meeting of Council.
Business Arising
a) Township Property List
https://www.northfrontenac.com/en/township-services/municipal-property-listing.aspx
The HATF briefly reviewed the Township property list (properties currently owned by the Township) and potential properties that could be used for potential future development opportunities.
b) 2026 Tax Rates
The HATF received the 2026 Tax Rates for information.
Presentations
a) Ron Black, Abbeyfield
The HATF received for information the presentation from Ron Black from Abbeyfield Page 1 of 33
North Frontenac Housing Advisory Task Force Minutes February 11, 2026
(attached). The HATF thanked Ron for his time and information today.
presentation Abbeyfield Lakefield (Canada) North Frontenac
b) JP Melville, HATF Member re: Funding Opportunties
The HATF received for information the presentation from JP Melville, HATF Member (attached). The HATF thanked JP for the information.
The HATF discussed potential partnership opportunities: i.e. Municipality donate land, Contractors build the facility and combine this for a funding application. Think of building up, repurposing a current facility or adding on to that building. The HATF discussed the possibility of having a brainstorming session to see what everyone else could bring to the table, in the future.
Housing Committee comments Funding for 11 Feb 2026 ACC
New Business None.
Public Forum
Adjournment
a) Meeting adjourned at 10:31 a.m.
Recommendations to Council Be It Resolved That Council receives for information the February 11, 2026 Notes of the Housing Advisory Task Force (HATF).
Received by Council on February 27, 2026.
Mayor Gerry Lichty, Chair
Page 2 of 33 Social Enterprise Presentation Prepared by::Ron Black February 2026 A Unique – Small Scale Model for Seniors Shared Accommodation Presentation for North Frontenac Township Page 3 of 33 Abbeyfield Success for • Abbeyfield has been a successful model of affordable housing for moderate income seniors for over 70 years. Starting in the United Kingdom in 1957 and spreading to 800 Houses in 15 countries around the world, including 20 houses in Canada. • Abbeyfield houses are ideal for many who seek a place that preserves their privacy while promoting a sense of security, community, companionship and support. • Monthly costs will be +/-$2300 compared to a retirement home at
$5500 per month. Includes rent & the services of a cook & house Manager. Page 4 of 33 Abbeyfield Success for • A home in shared accommodation for 12-20 elderly persons living Independently on low to moderate income • Monthly costs will be +/-$2000 compared to a retirement home at >$5000 per month. Includes rent & the services of a cook & house Manager. • Abbeyfield houses are managed by volunteer boards of directors and involve volunteers in residents’ activities. • Full/part time housekeeper/cook/administrator Page 5 of 33 Abbeyfield House Society of Lakefield • AHSL was founded by Dewi Jones in 2017 looking
housing options for his sister in the UK • AHSL Incorporated in 2019 as a not-for-profit without share capital and acquired CRA charitable status. • After AHSL was denied a donation of property by the municipality in July 2020, a resident came forward with an opportunity to purchase a 4-acre property in Lakefield • AHSL Purchased 93 Ermatinger in January 2021 at fair market value. Page 6 of 33 Supporting Social Enterprise Projects • Total cost to purchase of property = $650K • Unable to acquire loans from chartered lenders or municipalities to purchase the property • Community Futures KL funded 70% = $450K • AHSL Board Member Bond Loans = $70K • Social Enterprise Community Bond Investors = $130K • Apartment rental income from the bungalow covers our interest only loans and operating costs for the property purchase Page 7 of 33 Page 8 of 33 Abbeyfield House Society of Lakefield • The Abbeyfield Lakefield development site is a four-acre property with 150’ frontage on serviced land in Lakefield • Property has a 50 year old bungalow with basement walkout that currently has two rentable three-bedroom apartments • Current Official Plan designation = Residential Type1 & Future Development at the rear of the property • AHSL completed a Zoning By-law & Official Plan Amendment to Medium Density Residential R3 exception & a severance for the existing house and urban sized lot.
• Retained 3.5 acres will be used for the AHSL build. Page 9 of 33 Abbeyfield Site Challenges for • Approximately 1.5 acres deemed environmentally protected that wasn’t previously mapped by the local conservation authority (ORCA) • ORCA reduced the setback from 30m to 10m to allow access to the rear of the property for development. • Significant planning challenges resulted in the long laneway, additional servicing costs, reduced development area and managing the hydro geological aspected of the property. Page 10 of 33 Project Planning Costs • Township/County development pre-consultation meeting identified studies required to complete planning justification, severance and zoning/OPA requirements. Planning fees and professional services budget to exceeded $125K for this phase. • The project meets the CMHC definition of affordable housing (70% market) & CMHC is engaged in this shared accommodation project at the request of federal housing ministry. CMHC had not previously supported similar NFP projects. • CMHC has provided initial Seed Funding grant & loan up to $80K to assist in our planning costs to date. No funding to complete site plan approval or construction drawings is provided. Page 11 of 33 Project Planning Costs • Completed the Official Plan Amendment and property severance of the existing house in 2024. • Sold existing house and urban lot in 2024 for more than we paid for the original property, outside of real estate fees. • Retained 3.5-acre zoned R3 Exception (Shared Accommodation) was valued at >$1Million. • Secured a $250K loan from CKL Community Futures to complete Site Plan and Construction Drawings. Page 12 of 33 The Abbeyfield House • The home will compliment local architecture and employ an appropriate level of finishes. • 17 one bed suites of 450 sq.ft. with en-suite bathrooms and kitchenettes will be built. 5 barrier free and 12 accessible units. • Two, 2-bedroom units will, one for the live-in House Manager and the second for two Trent Uuniversity BSW or BN students. • The home will include shared dining, kitchen, library/computer room, sitting rooms and laundry facilities. • The home will include a meeting room and accessible washrooms for NFP groups and residents to stay active. Page 13 of 33 Conceptual Site Plan Moving Forward Preliminary Drawings Page 14 of 33 Floor Plans Page 15 of 33 Development Challenges • Property challenges forces a new building plan to include a full two storey House. • Property elevation requires a sanitary pump station to move effluent from the house • Additional engeneering costs to complete a grading plan to manage water on the property because of large amount of hard surfaces. • These changes took another 6 months to complete. Page 16 of 33 Page 17 of 33 Page 18 of 33 Moving Forward • AHSL completed all engineering, environmental studies and our conceptual site plan by June 2022. • Planning justification, severance application, zoning change and official plan amendment were submitted in July 2022 for peer review. • Township/County peer reviews application and provides feedback for any additional information required before going to the public meeting and council approval. • After completing additional studies, our application for ZBA & OPA finally make it to public meetings in July & August 2023. • I declared a perceived conflict of interest at the public meeting. Page 19 of 33 Site Plan Approval - A • Detailed site plan work was initiated in the fall of 2023 • Due to additional storm water management, hard surface and site servicing challenges within the site, it took significant time to complete the site plan. • Site plan was submitted for peer review in summer of 2024 and returned to us in fall 2024 for additional work. Page 20 of 33 Site Plan Approval - B • Revised site plan was submitted for peer review in April 2025 and returned to us in June with additional minor changes requested. • Revised site plan with final changes submitted to Selwyn planning Department in September
• After 8 years, thousands of volunteer hours and almost $225K in planning costs, the plan was approved in October 2025!!! Page 21 of 33 Page 22 of 33 What’s Next? • Completed construction drawings by December 2025 at a cost of $180K. Total pre-construction $$ in excess of $400K. • Class C Proforma ($9M) for application submission to Build Canada Homes for construction financing has been completed • Approval of financial package in April 2026 in negotiation • Site clearing this fall/winter in readiness for construction early 2026, occupancy in fall 2027 Page 23 of 33 Capital Campaign • AHSL engaged fundraising consultants to do a pre capital campaign assessment to confirm community support. • The Assessment outcome supported a $1.1M capital campaign goal would be feasible. • $500K in donations and $600K in gifts in kind from construction service providers and naming rights within the House and property. • Capital Campaign will start this spring 2026 after we receive support from Build Canada Homes. Page 24 of 33 Municipalities Role in Affordable Housing • 1. Zoning and Land Use Policies: Adjust zoning regulations (exception zoning) to encourage the development of affordable housing in appropriate areas. • 2. Density Bonuses: Offer developers incentives, like increased density allowances, in exchange for building a certain percentage of affordable units. • 3. Land Acquisition: Acquire public land for affordable housing projects or partner with developers to utilize underutilized land. • 4. Financial Incentives: Provide grants, tax breaks, or low-interest IO loans to developers of affordable housing organizations. • 5. Streamlined Permitting: Simplify and expedite the permitting process for affordable housing projects to reduce costs and delays. • . Page 25 of 33 Municipalities Role in Affordable Housing •6. Inclusionary Zoning: Mandate that a certain percentage of units in new developments are affordable. •7. Partnerships: Collaborate with nonprofit organizations, community land trusts, religious and ethnic organizations and private sector to jointly develop affordable housing. •8. Supportive Policies: Develop policies that address transportation, infrastructure, and community services to make affordable rural housing areas more attractive. •9. Mixed-Income Developments: Encourage mixed-income developments that combine affordable units with market-rate ones. Page 26 of 33 The Next Abbeyfield in Canada Page 27 of 33 Thank You! Questions? abbeyfieldlakefield.ca Page 28 of 33
18 January 2026
Housing Committee
North Frontenac Township
6648 Road 506, Plevna, ON
K0H 2M0
RE: Exploration of Funding and Partnership Opportunity Impacting Housing
Subject: 11 Feb Housing Committee - strategic consideration provincial or federal funding
Dear Housing Committee,
For discussing, I am proposing that the Township strategically consider funding opportunities as
either direct or indirect impacts on housing objectives of the Committee. The discussion is for
consideration only.
In the absence of any well established, community based housing organizations in North
Frontenac, federal housing funding may be the least likely target. For example, Canada
Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has changed their policies many times in recent
years and so are somewhat unreliable from a planning perspective. Otherwise, public funding
opportunities tend to be very specific and such opportunities can come and go quite quickly..
Strategies are somewhat as follows and aim to align municipal business readiness / investment
with housing opportunities where applicable.
•
All pending expenditures or asset allocations (e.g. land) on the part of the Township
might be levered as an investment in housing and how they might link to creating
housing opportunities. A funder might recognize these and co-invest.
•
Direct collaboration with any private sector business investment, can facilitate either
additional funding to the Township or the private sector partner. Additional funds can be
levered to improve housing precursors (e.g. jobs, upgraded waste management septic
systems etc)
•
Projects can focus on identifying and supporting opportunities for local business
development that influence housing. Such projects can include infrastructure
improvements and partnerships that enhance North Frontenac’s capacity to attract both
investment and new residents and workers.
Some example ideas follow, along with links and summaries for a few funders.
Regards,
JP Melville
Page 29 of 33
As above, a key element of this strategy is the opportunity to combine funding with planned
or preexisting private-sector investments and/or planned or preexisting municipal
investments related to economic development.
By aligning municipal and private efforts, the Township can maximize external funding impact,
promote job creation, and prepare for new residential housing development in areas of
economic growth.
Theoretical Examples:
•
Township will or already plans to spend $100,000 to improve a property to make it viable
for housing development; funder contributes matching
•
Private sector partner will or already plans to spend $ x on expansion to create jobs;
municipality partners to ensure adequate housing opportunities exist for new permanent
employees within township
•
Existing housing or short term rental property (ies) for sale, where expansion is
possible, future buy
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