Written By Olena Riznyk
LUCAN BIDDULPH – Middlesex County Senior Planner Abby Heddle-Jacobs presented an update on the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF2) at the November 3rd council meeting, reporting that the township has completed all five initiatives in its approved action plan.
The federal program, administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), supports municipalities working to remove barriers to housing development.
The township’s work included changes to zoning rules to allow a wider range of housing types, including higher-density and mixed-use development in certain areas. Residential parking requirements were also updated to remove potential barriers to new construction.
Other changes involved reviewing restrictions on building height, setbacks and floor area, as well as policies that could allow vacant or underused commercial properties to be converted to include housing.
The township also developed guidelines for additional residential units, such as separate housing units built on properties with existing homes. A toolkit available on the township’s website explains planning and building requirements to help property owners prepare their applications.
The fifth initiative was a Community Improvement Plan, approved in December 2025, that offers financial incentives for housing development. The plan gives priority to locations within existing communities where infrastructure and services are already available.
The report confirms that the related zoning amendments were passed after public meetings and that staff completed the documentation required under the township’s funding agreement with CMHC throughout the implementation process.
With these initiatives completed, the township is shifting its attention to encouraging construction. Staff will promote the financial incentives to property owners, builders and developers and prioritize planning approvals for medium-density residential projects.
As of October 20, the township had issued 53 residential building permits in 2026, ahead of the previous year’s figures. A fuller picture of housing activity will be available at year-end.
A recent letter from CMHC referred to a figure of 309 housing units. That number still needs to be checked with CMHC because the federal agency used Statistics Canada permit figures rather than the township’s more recent housing start data.
Progress will continue to be tracked through semi-annual and annual reports.
Another program, Build Ready, is scheduled to launch across Middlesex County in early February 2027. It will provide free, pre-reviewed designs for detached additional residential units to help simplify the design and permitting process.
The township will continue working with CMHC until the program ends in late 2027.
