A group dedicated to improving on affordable housing, mental health and well-being in Quinte West have laid out strategies on how to make it happen.
At Monday’s Quinte West council meeting councillors heard a presentation from Co-Chair Laurie Caouette from the Quinte West Action Table on Mental Health and Addiction regarding the action table’s Community Safety & Well Being Plan on Mental Health and Addictions and Affordable and Appropriate Housing Strategies.
Before listing off the strategies members of the table came up with, she provided some insight as to how they were developed and what they were based on.
“The strategies were created using results and indicators found in the Community Safety and Well Being Plan. They applied local data, stakeholder and public input and best practices. They identified and aligned with new and ongoing initiatives and they identified agencies that were best positioned to lead or support the initiatives. The action table is aware that as we begin implementation, we may have new partners emerge, and that’s why we’re saying that this list is not exhaustive. We’re considering it a framework.”
The list of proposed strategies regarding housing includes:
- Municipal housing plan
- Program to match landlords with tenants
- Tenant/Landlord education program
- Incentives for builders focused on affordable/mixed housing
- Focus on alternate housing including home sharing and multi-tenant rooming houses
- Using the municipal website to promote housing resources
- Yes In My Backyard campaign
- Supportive housing project similar to Belleville’s Home For Good
The table also developed a set of suggested strategies regarding mental health and well-being in the community.
The list of suggested strategies includes:
- Annual wellness expo
- Mobile Community Resource unit
- Computers for kids program
- Public education campaign – identifying and supporting someone in crisis, benefits of harm reduction programs
- Rapid access services
- Peer navigator program
- Shared navigation system
- County-wide mental health and addictions strategy
- Collaborating with Trenton Memorial Hospital to include on-site and virtual crisis care
Caouette said that with the strategies laid out, next steps include recruiting for the data advisory table, bringing forward a request for funding through the 2022 municipal operating budget to fund stategies and finally, developing action plans based on the strategies.
Council voted on and approved the strategies as presented and also voted to include them in the 2021-2024 Community Safety and Well Being plan and directed staff to proceed with the development of a municipal housing plan while including any costs incurred in the 2022 operating budget.
