Tecumseh does an about-face on fourplexes — risks losing $3.2M in federal housing cash
Town was originally granted $4.4M in funding in March 2024
In roughly a year and a half, Tecumseh has made an about-face on how it handles fourplexes being built in the town.
After originally applying for, and being granted, $4.4 million federal housing accelerator fund (HAF) last March, the municipality is now in jeopardy of now losing most of the money.
On Tuesday, council voted down a motion to — among other things — allow fourplex builds after already spending roughly $1.2 million of the cash. This followed public input sessions where many people were vocal about not having a say.
That leaves approximately $3.2 million that could be clawed back from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
Ward 1 Coun. Alicia Higgison voted in favour of the motion and says she was disappointed to see it defeated.
"It kind of struck the balance, I felt, so what the community concerns were and to our ability to allow for some gentle density in the town," she said.
"It took us a year and a half to get to the points last night. It was a very contentious issue … really heavily politicized."
'We don't want to become a gated community'
According to Higgison, the municipality will feel the effects of possibly losing the funding come municipal budget time — and while having to dip into "dwindling" reserves to make up the difference.
"I think it has major ramifications, not just on the CMHC and, and the HAF funding, but on our fiscal ability to, to keep offering services at low taxes to our our residents as we move forward. It puts a big risk to us."
Higgison says when she got onto council in 2022, this was exactly the type of thing she thought the town wanted to avoid.
"We did the strategic planning exercise and one of the things that was stated by name was that we don't want to become a gated community. We want to be able to welcome new people and all kinds of people. But I think last night's vote didn't achieve that."
Resident opposition influential, says deputy mayor
Tecumseh Deputy Mayor Joe Bachetti says he voted against allowing fourplexes in the town after what he referred to as a "very long drawn out public process" and multiple consultations with residents.
"I've heard loud and clear that the residents are opposed to allowing four units as a right," he said.
"And that, as a right, is basically allowing people to be able to do four units without any public consultation. That's the stickler there."
WATCH | What's a fourplex?:
Bachetti says the decision doesn't mean fourplexes can't be built in Tecumseh just that there has to be a public process attached to any proposal before it can move forward.
"The funding availability, accessing $3,000,000 in the HAF undermines our current official plan and does not outweigh the cost or the concerns that have been expressed by the residents throughout the process."
Bachetti doesn't expect council's decision to impact future housing builds.
He says there are "hundreds" of main street apartment building permits, and points to the Tecumseh hamlet land with roughly 4,000 units being proposed.
"We received $15 million from the province for the housing enabling fund with no conditions. And those developers are going full steam ahead with the planning," he added.
"This is not stunting development or, you know, slowing that part down. I'm confident in the future that we're going to have new programs that will be out that we can pursue, that will be able to help out facilitate the affordable housing."
Windsor's mayor weighs in
Windsor chose not to make changes to its HAF application last year that could have unlocked up to $70 million for housing. As a result, the border city was shut out of federal funds over its refusal to accept fourplex builds as-of-right.
Mayor Drew Dilkens says he's unsurprised by Tecumseh's change of heart.
"Our plan not only met but exceeded HAF's original requirements," he said in a statement.
"When they changed the game, Windsor said no to HAF out of respect for our residents, our neighbourhoods, and our future."
Dilkens says the "biggest flaw" in the program is that it "fails to empower" cities and towns.
"As I said in my letter to Prime Minister Carney in May: the ultimate goal here is not just about putting up buildings; it is about building homes and communities. As the federal government strives to build more homes faster, enabling a broader range of communities to access federal funding will not only accelerate much needed housing development but also ensure greater housing accessibility for all Canadians."
According to Dilkens, until those concerns are addressed by the federal government communities like Tecumseh will continue to rethink their commitments to key elements of the program that "simply do not respect our residents."
"We exceeded our 2024 provincial housing target and are working hard to do so again this year," he said.