Current Incentives and Policies for the Development of Affordable Housing
Strategic Core Areas CIP
The City of Greater Sudbury has adopted a new Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for the downtowns and town centres of Sudbury, Capreol, Chelmsford, Copper Cliff, Flour Mill, Kathleen Street, Levack, and Lively called the Strategi Core Areas CIP. Seven financial incentive programs are available under the CIP to help stimulate development and redevelopment. The available programs are:
• Tax Increment Equivalent Grants Programs
• Façade Improvement Program
• Planning and Building Fee Rebate Program
• Residential Incentive Program (Per-door grant)
• Commercial Vacancy Assistance Program
• Business Improvement Area Tenant Attraction Program (Interest-Free Loan)
• Feasibility Grant Program
Please visit the City’s Strategic Core Area CIP website for more information
New Multi-Residential Property Tax Class
The new multi-residential property tax class lowers the tax ratio of new apartment units reducing a developer’s overall operating costs. Land used for residential purposes that has seven or more self-contained units, vacant land principally zoned for multi-residential redevelopment is eligible to be classified under the new multi-residential tax class. Eligibility is assessed at the time of redevelopment.
Development Charge Exemptions and Reductions
Development charge exemptions are available within certain areas of the City and for developments subject to an Affordable Housing Agreement with the City of Greater Sudbury. Reductions are available for multi-unit development within defined Nodes or along Corridors, and for small residential dwellings under 1000 square feet.
For details please see Development Charges By-law 2019-100
Municipal Capital Facilities for Municipal Housing Projects
By-law 2015-113 allows the City of Greater Sudbury to provide financial or other assistance at less than fair market value for the provision of municipal housing project facilities. Criteria that must be met are: must meet the definition of affordable, must be available to households on the waitlist first. If income increases above levels established by the Housing Manager, the provider must be a non-profit. The term cannot be less than 20 years, and the agreement is binding on the housing provider’s heirs, successors and permitted assigns.
Municipal Capital Facilities for Municipal Housing Projects
Secondary Dwelling Units
A secondary dwelling unit is a self-contained unit consisting of a room or rooms in a single detached, semi-detached, row house dwelling, street townhouse or an associated accessory building. The secondary dwelling unit may be contained in any part of the house, not just the basement. It may also be contained within an addition to the existing dwelling.
Residents applying for the addition of secondary dwelling units to their dwellings are no longer required to apply for a re-zoning of their property. However, secondary dwelling units must still comply with Building and Fire Codes, and Zoning and Property Standards By-laws.
Please visit the City’s Secondary Dwellings Units web page for more information.
Brownfield Incentives
The City’s Brownfield Strategy and CIP helps breathe new life into vacant commercial and industrial properties, such as old manufacturing sites and gas stations – otherwise known as brownfields. The City has a number of programs to reduce the upfront costs associated with the redevelopment of both urban and rural brownfields.
Please visit the City’s Brownfield Strategy and CIP website for more information.
Zoning By-law Amendments
In 2018, the City approved amendments to the Zoning By-law which provide a 25% reduction of parking requirements for developments that are subject to an affordable housing agreement with the City, introduced shared housing as a permitted use within medium and high density zones along certain corridors, and introduced a new R1-7 Zone which permits the creation of lots with smaller lot area and lot width.
Details of the amendment can be found here: By-law 2018-180Z
In 2021, the City approved amendments to the Zoning By-law which permit Multiple Dwellings, Long Term Care Facilities and Retirement Homes as permitted uses within the “Shopping Centre Commercial (C5) Zone”,
Details of the amendment can be found here By-law 2021-13Z
Additional amendments to residential parking requirements were made in 2021 which further facilitate the development of affordable housing and support sustainability goals. The amendments allow front yard parking for ground oriented residential dwelling units, reduce parking ratios for multiple dwelling units n the R2-3 and C5 Zones to 1 parking space per dwelling unit, and provide for reductions of parking requirements for certain uses abutting GOVA routes.
Details of the amendment can be found here By-law 2021-171Z