YOUR VIEW: Growth has created divided communities

Yorkregion.com
July 24, 2015

York Region municipalities have seen rapid growth over the past 20 years.

Money Sense magazine (and as reported by York Region Media Group) named Newmarket as the best place to live in York Region, placing it 23rd in Canada out of 209. I am proud to have grown up in a town that is diverse in culture and rich in its sense of community. As a young woman, I hope to be able to remain in this community and raise a family.

Unfortunately, there is one problem. The cost of housing has skyrocketed to the point where young people cannot afford to own a home here. The cost of rent is equivalent to a mortgage payment, if not more, in some cases.

There are many affluent subdivisions as part of this growth, but even larger growth in poverty and that has created a division in our community.

As York Region rapidly grew, strategies for housing and incentives to build dedicated rental apartments and affordable housing units have equally decreased. There is minimal attention to the specific ways in which our community’s vulnerable populations are impacted by this and are at great risk of homelessness.

These individuals and/or families include, but are not exclusive to: recent immigrants, seniors, low-income persons, single-parent families, individuals living with disabilities and persons living with mental illness.

Political awareness to this issue is not negated as several articles in local papers have included their awareness and their intensions to address the issue. One barrier is the common Not In My Back Yard or NIMBYism.

The stigma directed toward vulnerable people is an even larger issue. I suggest those in government look deeper into this issue.

Finally, exploring new funding models and locations where affordable housing can be built are strategies that should be implemented.

If the seriousness of this issue is not soon addressed, vulnerable persons living in our community will be at greater risk of marginalization and will be faced with the consequences of homelessness, lack of food, limited or no shelter options and appropriate care. It is imperative we become more aware of the issues that daunt our community and actively stride toward finding solutions.

Kristina Smith

Newmarket