For the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield, New Brunswick (GB-W), EBP conducted a Housing Assessment and Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Grant Application to support needs among the growing and changing population in the town.
The Housing Needs Assessment served multiple purposes, including:
To pinpoint the projected supply and demand for additional housing, EBP integrated data from various sources, including Statistics Canada and Envision Saint John. Using population projections from Envision Saint John, EBP forecasted the supply and demand for additional housing for future residents in GB-W.
Using findings from the Housing Assessment, EBP then supported GB-W through a Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Grant Application. The HAF, led by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), “provides incentive funding to local governments encouraging initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply. It also supports the development of complete, low-carbon and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse.” EBP led conversations between GB-W and CMHC to identify CMHC-Approved Action Items and Initiatives that aligned with both parties’ expectations.
As of 2024, GB-W is the only municipality in the Greater Saint John Region to have successfully applied for and received HAF Funding. This funding is crucial to support the identified initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply in GB-W. In doing so, GB-W can work toward achieving the goals set forth in the Housing Needs Assessment and ultimately, the foundational Economic Development Strategic Plan.