Affordable housing in Belleville

In the 2018 election, Belleville Councillors campaigned on affordable housing:

In the 2022 election, Belleville Councillors campaigned on affordable housing:

Since January 25, 2016, In a little over 3 years (January 26, 2022 to May 14, 2025), the City provided owners of industrial land who developed their properties with $14.4 million in fee discounts – roughly $4.8 million per year. This discretionary incentive program’s revenue shortfall was made up by increases to property taxes and water/wastewater rates. This incentive had been in place since January 25, 2016.

until it was removed on July 14, 2025

Latest

Apr 1, 2026

release

Councillor Carr posts questions for MPP roundtable meeting

Ghosting the Council: Will you finally provide written responses to the various resolutions and letters the City has sent your offices over the last few years? Also, why the long silence?
Consultation Gaps: Since recent housing bills were passed with almost no input from local leaders, will you commit to actually consulting with municipalities before passing laws that affect them?
The “Broken” Healthcare System: Many residents feel “Health Care Connect” is a black hole where patients are forgotten. What is the province’s plan to fix this reputation and prove the system actually works?
The 15,000-Patient Gap: Belleville has 15,000 residents without a doctor, but only 1,000 are on your official “Connect” list. How do you plan to find and help those other 14,000 people by your 2029 deadline?
Doctor Recruitment: Should the city stop offering its own financial incentives to recruit doctors and just rely on the province’s “Health Care Connect” system?
Trail Expansion: Do you support the North Riverfront Trail extension under Highway 401 and will you help secure the necessary provincial approvals?
Homelessness Resources: Since current provincial programs aren’t slowing the homelessness crisis, what specific steps are you taking to get more resources for Belleville?
Mental Health & Addictions: Provincial investment isn’t meeting the local demand for mental health and substance abuse support—how are you advocating for better results?
Stagnant Funding: Homelessness funding has been frozen at $6.1M for three years; do you honestly think this is enough given that the number of unhoused people is rising?
The “$10 Rule”: Why has the provincial allocation for discretionary benefits (OW/ODSP) remained unchanged at $10 per case for over 30 years?
Housing Cuts: With OPHI housing funding set to end by 2028, what are you doing to prevent the loss of these subsidies that keep people in affordable rentals?
Public Health Costs: Should the province pay a larger share of Public Health costs, since healthcare is technically a provincial responsibility?
Developer Accountability: New laws made it faster and cheaper for developers to get approvals, yet they are sitting on land without building. How will you hold them accountable?
The $7.5 Million Shortfall: Provincial housing bills caused Belleville to lose millions in development fees. How will you ensure the province fulfills its promise to make the city “whole” (reimburse the lost revenue)?