The Town of Aurora’s Policy Planning staff was selected by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) to lead a virtual, province-wide workshop yesterday, focusing on effective strategies for completing Housing Needs Assessments as part of the Canada Community Building Fund (CCBF).

“Our success highlights our commitment to both excellence and efficiency in our policy work,” said Adam Robb, Manager of Policy Planning. “We’re proud that our in-depth understanding of housing needs, growth management, and data-driven analysis has positioned us as a guide for other municipalities looking to achieve federal compliance.”

Housing Needs Assessments are essential, data-driven documents that municipalities are required to complete as part of federal requirements. These assessments focus on both quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the local housing landscape and play a significant role in determining eligibility for critical federal support programs like the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) and other infrastructure-related grants. Municipalities with populations of over 30,000 are tasked with completing this assessment to ensure their community profiles align with federal housing standards and expectations.

The Town has emerged as a standout leader, being the only one among 61 eligible Ontario municipalities to have received federal compliance for its Housing Needs Assessment. Aurora achieved sign-off from the federal Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada last month, distinguishing itself through a rigorous, in-house process that combined empirical data analysis and community-focused insights—elements often handled by external consultants at significant costs in other jurisdictions.

The workshop gave valuable insights on best practices and effective strategies that Aurora used to navigate the Housing Needs Assessment requirements, which can often be complex and resource-intensive. Aurora’s process prioritized utilizing reliable sources like the Census and findings with the Town’s Official Plan and Affordable Housing Action Plan to provide a comprehensive look at community housing in tandem with growth projections. The Town’s proactive and integrated approach has been noted as a model for others and has earned federal recognition for its clarity and methodological rigor.

Aurora’s success in completing the Housing Needs Assessment not only elevates the Town’s profile across various levels of government but also highlights its dedication to housing solutions. By demonstrating the Town’s capacity for high-quality, in-house work, the hope is to strengthen the case for receiving future federal funding, through programs like the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF2).

To learn more about Aurora’s Housing Needs Assessment process, visit aurora.ca/HNA.