after pocketing $4.4m in federal funds, tecumseh to consult public on increased housing density
roughly a year after accepting millions in federal gran...
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roofers are shown at the construction site of a condominium complex on lesperance road in tecumseh on dec. 13, 2024.
dan janisse
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windsor star
roughly a year after accepting millions in federal grants that hinge on increasing housing density, tecumseh town council is still considering whether to allow four dwelling units on all residential properties.
municipal council on tuesday night voted to hold a public meeting next month on proposed official plan and zoning bylaw amendments that would permit three additional dwelling units (adus) on lots with single-family homes, for a maximum of four units.
sweeping four-unit approvals was a requirement to access grants under ottawa’s housing accelerator fund, designed to address the housing crisis. the town of tecumseh received $4.4 million from the fund last march.
provincewide, two adus are currently allowed as-of-right — meaning without public hearings or council approvals — for a total of three units on any lot.
“we have to find new ways and means to bring affordability,” said tecumseh mayor gary mcnamara.
“it doesn’t solve every problem, but it helps mitigate some of the problems, and by creating some opportunities and diversity — it’s a bit of a compromise.
“people fail to realize that you can say four units as-of-right everywhere, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.”
searching for ‘new ways and means to bring affordability’ in housing. tecumseh mayor gary mcnamara is seen during a meeting of tecumseh town council on tuesday, feb. 25, 2025.
taylor campbell
/
windsor star
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in december, a hired consultant and town staff told tecumseh council it could limit four-unit builds to empty greenspaces through zoning rules around lot size, building height, infrastructure, parking and more. but this week, brian hillman, tecumseh’s director of development services, said the crown corporation administering the housing fund has since suggested the town move in a different direction.
“cmhc (canada mortgage and housing corporation) indicated that they were not preferential to options that segregated the community in that way that had greenfield sites open,” hillman said.
now, the town is eyeing a plan that would permit up to three adus on lots with single-detached houses, and with requirements for parking, front-yard setbacks, and landscaped greenspace.
the plan doesn’t go as far as permitting across-the-board fourplexes — four units in a single building.
“the initiative was to allow consideration for four units. it doesn’t say type or kind in low-density districts,” hillman said. “it always allowed for the town to regulate, which is what this proposal does, and have regard for the existing character of neighbourhoods.”
deputy mayor joe bachetti, ward 2 coun. james dorner, and ward 3 coun. rick tonial expressed opposition to allowing four units across the board.
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“tecumseh has always had a small-town feeling,” tonial said. “i love the idea of having the availability of having an extra unit on my property so my kids can move into the small house. why do we need four (units?) we already have three.”
‘we could have gone a little further’ — ward 1 coun. alicia higgison speaks about housing intensification during a meeting of tecumseh town council on tuesday, feb. 25, 2025.
taylor campbell
/
windsor star
ward 1 coun. alicia higgison said she was “disappointed” the town was selecting an “option that has us do the least amount of shifting.
“you can’t have low density, low taxes, and maintenance of services,” she said. “one has to give. it was my hope that we could have gone a little further.”
last year, when windsor council voted against allowing four units on all residential properties, the federal government rejected the city’s application for tens of millions of dollars in new housing grants.
but that’s not stopping windsor from seeking other federal housing dollars. this week, windsor council voted to submit applications for funding from the canada housing infrastructure fund (chif).
according to the federal government’s website, the fund aims to speed up the construction and upgrading of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid-water infrastructure to support new home builds and increase densification.
zoning that permits four units as-of-right in all low-density residential areas is a condition for chif funding.
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even though windsor council remains opposed to sweeping intensification, mayor drew dilkens said the city is “hopeful” ottawa “will take a more nuanced look” and allow the city’s application to go through.
“i think the people of windsor have spoken loudly and clearly that they don’t want fourplexes as-of-right throughout the entire city,” he told reporters after a city council meeting on monday.
dilkens expects to see “positive changes” under a new liberal party leader — and possibly after a federal election — “that hopefully respect municipalities and the way that they would like to see their communities grow.”
according to city staff, housing, infrastructure and communities canada — the federal entity administering chif — appears flexible on four-unit zoning. the city can propose “specific exemptions” to the zoning requirement “with sufficient explanation” and still qualify for funding, a document presented to council this week said.
windsor is seeking funding for two projects. the first project would see the feds contribute $3.57 million for upgrades to sanitary, storm, and water infrastructure along howard avenue from kenilworth drive to cabana road east. the goal, a city staff report said, is to support further development on the west side of howard. the entire project is expected to cost $18.5 million.
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the second project would see 9th concession widened from cabana road east to baseline road and include upgraded water, sanitary, and storm sewers. that work is expected to cost $16.1 million, but the maximum windsor can receive from ottawa for the eligible work is $1.67 million.
in january, tecumseh applied for chif funding for its gouin stormwater management pond and pump station in the northwest tecumseh hamlet secondary plan area. this week, town council voted to apply for $21.1 million for the east townline drain and manning road secondary plan area regional stormwater infrastructure.
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