Vermilion Council received a detailed look at its housing situation during the Sept. 17 regular council meeting.
The presentation on the research was conducted by Gary Gordon, a housing consultant from Edmonton and the owner of Gordon and Associates.
The presentation to council went over the housing needs of the community and identified any gaps in the community pertaining to housing.
A needs assessment can help identify housing needs and gaps and encompasses families, seniors, and individuals across the housing continuum.
“The housing continuum goes from temporary emergency shelter to permanent market housing and includes everything in between,” said Gordon. “The purpose isn’t to necessarily ensure everything exists within a community, but to identify gaps along that continuum, so you know the kind of need that exists.”
Data analyzed through the assessment includes dwelling types, age, condition, and size. Households by type, tenure, and income range. Trends in housing starts, house prices and sales and rental/vacancy rates.
Meetings were held with local stakeholders to help gain input. The issues discussed were, college student demand, homelessness, and special-needs housing. A meeting was held on June 18 with a dozen key stakeholders.
Vermilion’s population declined according to the Canadian Census from 4,084 in 2016 to 3,948 in 2021, a loss of 136 people. People under the age of 65 accounted for the entire loss. While the population of 65 and up increased by 95.
Most homes in Vermilion are single-detached at 78 per cent and 77 per cent owner-occupied. Most of the multi-unit houses in Vermilion are rented.
There are roughly 120 condos in the town. Over 6 per cent require major repairs.
Gordon also broke down the household income levels during his presentation.
Roughly 14 per cent of households in Vermilion and area earn under $30,000 a year.
He says there haven’t been many additions to the housing market.
“Additions to the housing stock, there really hasn’t been a lot of construction since 2021, even though there are 13 units that were constructed over the three years. There were also some units that were torn down, so I don’t know if there’s actually been any additions to the housing stock.”
“I think most of them, or all of them, are ownership, so there hasn’t really been any rentas built since the census was taken,” said Gordon
In 2023, 118 rental units were surveyed. Gordon found rental rates were relatively affordable while vacancy rates were zero for bachelor’s and one-bedroom apartments. Vacancy rates, however, were high for two and three-bedroom units.
“Before the pandemic, annual sales were about 50 properties, a year and like many communities, that number started soaring in 2021 and 2022, there was a huge spike,” he said.
“Since then, and again this happens in most communities, sales have slowed but, they’re still strong but they’re probably moving more to pre-pandemic (COVID-19) levels.”
In 2024 so far there have been 28 properties sold. The average condo price is $140,450 and the average single-family detached home price is $251,500.
The data compiled points to there being 105 households in core need in Vermilion or a 6.3 per cent incidence rate overall.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) defines a core need as, “If you are living in housing that is unaffordable, doesn’t have enough bedrooms or needs major repairs, and you can’t afford to live somewhere elsewhere in your community, you are living in core housing need.”
Data was also presented, and an outline of the impact Lakeland College has on the housing of the town was given. According to Gordon’s findings, there are 1,300 students (full-time equivalent), 550 beds comprised of dorms and townhouses for families and two large townhouses in town to cater to students.
Some of the next steps recommended during the presentation include developing a housing strategy and action plan that would include specific steps to be taken and developing a communications plan to ensure residents are aware of housing needs.
“If you want to take any kind of initiative you need to have the assessment, the province and CMHC will, that’s the first thing they’ll ask for.”
The presentation will be taken to the Economic Development Committee to decide on what the future steps will be before bringing it to council.
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