Gentle Density Community Improvement Plan presented to lawmakers, public

By Riley Murphy

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Caledon's proposed Gentle Density Community Improvement Plan was presented at the September 2 Planning and Development Meeting,

“The Town of Caledon's draft Gentle Density Community Improvement Plan (CIP) enables financial incentive programs to support housing intensification and community improvement goals, in alignment with the Planning Act and Future Caledon Official Plan,” said the report Committee. “These incentives aim to lower barriers, foster community participation, and incrementally increase housing supply in Caledon.”

It was reported that Caledon is expected to have 300,000 residents by 2051.

“But we're not building enough homes,” reads the report.

The presentation stated Caledon's existing housing stock is homogenous and “not reflective of the shifting demographic of Caledon's community.”

In January 2025, the Town of Caledon was announced as a successful recipient of funding from the federal government's Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) program.

HAF aims to fast-track the supply of housing across Canada.

Caledon was awarded $14 million in funding, which must be used to support the actions proposed in the Town's HAF application, with all funding to be spent by December 11, 2028.

Through the Town's HAF application, the following objectives were identified: Support the Town of Caledon's Housing Pledge to construct 13,000 homes by 2031; help the Town of Caledon achieve its housing supply growth target of 2,628 by 2028; and help develop affordable housing units, in line with the More Homes Built Faster Act.

The Town has identified several initiatives and funding proposals “to help accomplish the above objectives”.

“One of these initiatives is the creation of a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to accelerate residential development through gentle density in both urban and rural areas,” reads the report.

Gentle density is a low-impact type of housing, such as basement apartments, in-law suites, multiplexes, and other similar housing forms, that “provide increased density but fit the scale and neighbourhood character of low-rise communities”.

The report explained a CIP “is a tool that enables municipalities to achieve broad land use planning and economic policy objectives by offering financial incentives to attract private investment”.

“The purpose of this CIP is to accelerate gentle intensification to expand the range and

supply of housing within Caledon.”

The Gentle Density CIP aims to offer financial assistance to accelerate residential development through gentle density in both urban and rural areas.

Specifically, it aims to accelerate the development of Additional Residential Units and Multiplexes.

CIPs also enable municipalities to establish financial incentive programs to target different community needs.

The CIP will apply to the entire Town of Caledon.

Four types of grants/loans were presented at the Planning and Development meeting.

The first Incentive program is a servicing review for the rural lots grant. 

This provides financial support for servicing reviews for rural lots interested in developing additional residential units and multiplexes.

Incentive program two is a multiplex development grant.

This grant provides financial assistance to homeowners seeking to convert existing homes into

multiplex units or constructing a new multiplex building. 

This program supports the creation of multiplexes to increase and diversify the housing stock.

The third incentive program is a subdivision secondary suite grant.

This will provide financial incentives for the inclusion of multiplexes or code-compliant additional residential units within new subdivisions.

The final incentive program presented is an additional residential unit through a forgivable loan.

This forgivable loan supports homeowners in creating or legalizing additional residential units by covering a portion of construction and registration costs.

This plan is designed to be implemented over three years.

Unless it is determined that “the Plan or components of the Plan are no longer relevant, the Community Improvement Plan and Community Improvement Project Area may be dissolved, in which case a new CIP and/or CIPA may be prepared and adopted by a by-law(s) of Council”.

Amanda Corbett, a resident of Bolton, asked if grant money from these initiatives would go towards the homeowner or the developer.

Staff explained that in some situations, it would go to the developer, such as with new subdivisions or the creation of new housing for an additional residential unit.

“For certain groups that are looking to create a basement apartment or additional residential unit in their existing home, that would be for the homeowner in that situation who would be applying,” shared Staff.

It was shared from Staff that “earlier this year, we highlighted through a housing needs assessment that nearly 90% of homes in Caledon are in three-plus bedrooms, so this is really about changing what that looks like, and then for the price point on those homes, too.”

Ward 2 Councillor Dave Sheen expressed concerns about parking and streets becoming overcrowded due to the additional housing.

Sheen shared that those “who will inhabit these gently densified units that are going to show up in our neighborhoods, they're going to want cars if there's no transit, and right now, the streets in our neighborhoods can't tolerate more cars.”

“They're already concerned about basement apartments. This is going to incentivize that further,” says Sheen.

Sheen shared that he understands the need for affordable housing, but “we can't build more houses without providing options for parking or more transit.”

Town Staff answered that questions related to zoning changes and development standards will be discussed in the September 16 meeting.

On July 15, proposed zoning amendments were presented to Council “to permit four units as of right throughout Caledon, and highlighted that with that comes an array of development standards,” shared Town Staff. “Any incentive issued for an additional residential unit would apply only to properties who are compliant with zoning, be them amended or not. On September 16 is when you'll see all of those development standards.”