In This Newsletter:
- Watch the recording from June 5th’s event: “Getting to Affordable: How do the numbers work for achieving affordable housing in our region???”
- Watch the recording from May 29th’s event: “Modeling a Regional Approach to Tackle Key Challenges: CAOs highlight actions and potential next steps towards regional initiatives”
- Read our Affordable Housing 2024 Report Back from TISGB’s Social Finance & Affordable Housing Group, with 4 Big Ideas for getting there
- We Need your Support to Keep our Programming Going!
- TISGB Welcome Two New Board Members
CATCH THE REPLAY of our June 5th Event: “Getting to Affordable: How do the numbers work for achieving affordable housing in our region???
Getting to affordable housing requires creativity amongst multiple partners.
Inspired by TISGB’s Affordable Housing Forum last November at Meaford Hall, and January’s follow-up Strategy Retreat at Meaford Public Library, our June 5th event, attracted over 40 people from Grey County, The Blue Mountains, Collingwood, Clearview, Meaford, and Owen Sound. Leaders from not for profits, government, local community-led housing groups, and local residents learned about 6 key strategies for increasing the supply of affordable housing units, and discussed what we should be doing in our communities!
This virtual event provided a platform for a robust public discussion on the pro-forma project – a collaboration between Rental Rescue, the University of Toronto (U of T), and TISGB, which took place over the winter and was partially supported through EllisDon.
Read the full recap and watch the event replay here!
CATCH THE REPLAY of our May 29th Event: “Modeling a Regional Approach to Tackle Key Challenges: CAOs highlight actions and potential next steps towards regional initiatives”
On May 29, TISGB hosted a crucial virtual event, “Modeling a Regional Approach to Tackle Key Challenges,” focusing on collaborative solutions for issues too big for any single municipality to handle alone.
Featuring regional CAOs from Wasaga Beach, Clearview, Collingwood, Blue Mountains, and Grey Highlands, the discussion highlighted the importance of aligning objectives and pooling resources to address affordable housing, infrastructure strains, and more. The event underscored the need for innovative regional strategies and shared best practices to foster sustainable development. Over 50 people from across the region attended. Catch the replay and dive into the detailed event recap to learn more about these collaborative efforts and the insights shared by our regional leaders.
Read the full recap and watch the replay here!
What might we do in a regional community plan for affordable housing?
Report Back from TISGB’s Social Finance & Affordable Housing Group
Background
In November of 2023, the Institute held a community-wide forum, with over 100 people, entitled New Ways to Finance the Housing Affordability Gap. It was a chance for a large cross-sectoral group to learn how a number of small communities across Canada are using social finance tools to reach for solutions.
These communities, like ours, are particularly concerned about the shortage of affordable rental housing for people who work in the lower-waged sectors vital to our local economies such as health care, retail and hospitality and tourism. Video from these sessions can be viewed here.
The Institute’s volunteer Social Finance & Affordable Housing Group have led a two-year exploration into community wealth, local investment strategies, and how these emerging tools, coupled with local municipal engagement, could provide a way to meet the dire shortage of affordable rental homes in small urban and rural communities. This research informed the forum agenda and the afternoon workshop, where 50 people considered the question: What would we be doing if we were 10 times bolder and more collaborative? A January 2024 Strategy Retreat fine-tuned some of the emerging ideas and this report will form the basis for a fall reconvening of workshop and retreat participants to create a regional community action plan. This current report is a must-read for anyone interested in more affordable housing in our region.
We need your support to continue 2024 programming!
Join us in building a resilient, equitable, and sustainable future
We are dedicated to solving our region’s most pressing challenges. We innovate and accelerate community-led solutions by bringing together residents, businesses, municipalities, non-profits, and philanthropic leaders.
As outlined in the 2023 Annual Report, with the help of generous supporters, we have:
- Formed a dedicated team of volunteers and multi-sector stakeholders and co-created the TISGB Affordable Housing Toolkit, moving towards solutions so that people who work here can live here.
- Convened leaders to innovate and advance ideas for building a thriving and climate-friendly economy, including a Green Economy Hub for our region, and
- Strengthened our creative sectors through network-building to help artists, innovators and entrepreneurs flourish.
This is only the beginning.
With your support, we can build a collective force for positive change and propel Southern Georgian Bay toward a brighter and more collaborative future.
Welcoming Jordie Burton and Tori Rooney to The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay, Board of Directors
TISGB is growing, and as we develop a Collective Leadership Model, we are thrilled to welcome Jordie Burton and Tori Rooney to our Board of Directors.
Tori Rooney
Tori is a Sustainability Analyst at Blue Mountain Resort, leveraging her expertise in environmental science, earned through an Honors Bachelor of Science from Queen’s University. Her role at Blue Mountain Resort reflects her dedication to sustainability, where she pioneers innovative approaches to further the organization’s environmental initiatives.
Tori’s professional acumen is complemented by a creative mindset, adaptability, and a collaborative spirit. Her role within the resort demonstrates her ability to flexibly adapt to new challenges and collaborate effectively for positive change. Read more about Tori here!
Jordie Burton
Social Impact Designer, Strategist, and Community Engagement Advocate
Jordie Burton is dedicated to social impact with a passion for crafting innovative strategies and fostering community engagement. With an academic background that includes an MA in Applied Imagination and a Bachelor of Education, Jordie brings a unique blend of creativity and a pursuit of learning to the world of social impact.
Jordie is an active member of The James A. Burton and Family Foundation. This philanthropic endeavour represents a shared commitment to serving communities and facilitating innovative solutions to social issues.