FAQs

The general definition of affordable housing is that less than 30% of an individual or family’s gross income is spent on housing costs. Affordable housing can encompass a multitude of housing types and tenures provided by the private, public, or not-for-profit sectors. Housing that is affordable can range from ownership, rentals, to temporary housing depending on the needs of the residents.

With the goal of increasing housing supply and improving affordability, the Province of Ontario introduced three recent pieces of legislation – Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, Bill 109, More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022, and Bill 185, Cutting the Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024. In addition to these provincial legislative mandates for the creation of more housing, the Town has also been directed to reach targets of creating 8,000 new housing units and 1,000 purpose-built rentals by 2031 and 2051, respectively. With the changing legislative landscape and housing targets set for the Town, the Affordable Housing Action Plan aims to provide a blueprint and direction for guiding process improvements and positive decision making around housing. The Affordable Housing Action Plan is a made in Aurora Plan, focused on providing tangible municipal objectives and actions to pursue at the local level.

The Affordable Housing Action Plan is not a statutory document but will nonetheless provide the blueprint and direction for the Town of Aurora to achieve more diverse, affordable, and attainable housing. A number of Action Items are targeted for completion as part of the established capital project and planning process. Other Action Items will be implemented through procedural updates, including the continued streamlining of the development application review process. It is anticipated that all Action Items will be continually monitored to ensure progress is being met, with the appropriate direction also provided to Council to initiate new items or provide direction in line with the key objectives. The Action Plan will also be subject to cyclical reviews moving forward to continue to ensure appropriateness and effectiveness.