SRD Completes Housing Needs Reports For Four Electoral Areas

The Strathcona Regional District has completed the Housing Needs Reports for each of the four Electoral Areas in the District.

The Strathcona Regional District has completed the Housing Needs Reports for each of the four Electoral Areas in the District.

The Local Government Act requires all local governments to complete Housing Needs Reports every five years.

This project launched in January and combined data collection with an extensive public engagement process, including a public survey and in-depth interviews with elected officials, housing service providers, community groups and others with local knowledge related to housing.

The study found that populations in all four Electoral Areas are growing and aging, with residents concerned with their ability to afford and maintain their own properties as they age, and for their children’s ability to own or rent in their community.

The study also found that rental units are hard to find, are more expensive, and are more likely to be in poor condition than owner-occupied housing.

Additional concerns were raised on the limitations of existing water and sewer infrastructure in rural areas, insufficient housing for seasonal workers, and the challenges posed by a rise in short-term rental and recreational properties.