Niagara Doesn't Just Have a Housing Shortage- We Have An Accessibility Crisis

Niagara's housing symposium hosted by Niagara's Association of Realtors last Friday left me with a lot to think about.

Sarah Hart's kind, steady presence stood out. Her leadership and attendance at relevant City Council meetings do not escape me.

I also felt proud of Mishka Balsom for representing the women of Niagara as the CEO of the GNCC and only female panelist on stage.

Mark Carl, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Niagara, earned my respect instantly when he openly acknowledged his vote for increased real estate development charges during his time as a City Councillor in Welland. Accountability matters.

What first caught my attention was Nik Nanos' survey of Niagara residents, which all further presentations were built on.

It examined the views of 705 residents out of approximately 539,000 people in the Niagara Region (based on 2021 census data and 2024 projections), with a 3% margin of error.

My first reaction:

'705 people out of more than half a million- is that even statistically relevant?'

Turns out, it is.

With a population of this size, a demographically diverse sample of up to approximately 1,000 individuals can be statistically significant. Beyond that, a larger sample can actually become less accurate.

The survey showed that people in Niagara care most about safety and housing.

Of course they do.

You could reasonably anticipate those priorities simply by examining current events and economic pressures.

Here's where I think we need to dig deeper.

As reported at the symposium, most new housing initiatives in Niagara are rental-focused. Government incentives largely support new builds and first-time homebuyers. NAR reports an inventory surplus of months' worth of established homes.

So:

Yes, let's continue eliminating barriers to new construction, as NAR has suggested.

But also:

Let's examine the barriers to financing that the majority of residents are facing right now.

We clearly have housing available.

The real question is: why can't citizens afford to purchase it?

From my own experience, the answer is not simple 'scarcity'.

It's economic prosperity issues and mortgage regulations.

Years ago, as a young full-time employee at TD Bank with:

• a down payment

• strong credit

• and the lowest mortgage rates in history

  ...I still couldn't secure a mortgage without a co-signor.

So no, I'm not typically someone who believes the solution is always 'more'- more development, more building, more supply for the sake of it.

I believe we need to:

• look closely at what we already have, and

• be honest about who our current systems are serving- and who they are quietly shutting out.

Sometimes the real leadership challenge isn't creating 'more'.

It's having the courage to revise what we're already doing.

Niagara doesn't just need housing- we need accessible pathways to ownership. If you're working on mortgage policy, development financing, or affordability initiatives, I'd love to connect and collaborate. It's time to align what we build with what people can realistically afford.

If you've faced barriers to securing a mortgage- even with stable income- share your experience below or message me privately. The data matters, but lived experience should inform policy, too.