Research and Innovation in Affordable Housing forum

On March 12, 2021, the City of Waterloo hosted a discussion forum on Research and Innovation in Affordable Housing. The discussion was an opportunity to learn about current and emerging researching in the field of housing planning and policy, and how we might use this knowledge to plan for more diverse, affordable and inclusive housing in Waterloo and beyond. The forum was moderated by Michelle Lee, Senior Policy Planner for the City of Waterloo, and included:

Dr. Martine August, Assistant Professor, School of Planning, University of Waterloo
Dr. Brian Doucet, Associate Professor, School of Planning, University of Waterloo
Dr. Sean Geobey, Assistant Professor, School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, University of Waterloo
Dr. Markus Moos, Associate Professor/Director, School of Planning, University of Waterloo
Dr. Dawn Parker, Professor, School of Planning, University of Waterloo

Discussion questions:

Based on your research, is inadequate supply the most important factor underlying declining housing affordability in Ontario? Are there other significant factors that contribute to increased house prices and rents locally and province-wide? (begins at about 03:12 in video)
How can municipalities respond to these driving forces through planning policy and other actions in order to have meaningful impact on housing affordability? (begins at about 26:40 in video)
What opportunities are there for the University of Waterloo and the City of Waterloo to collaborate on local housing policy and research? (begins at about 57:17 in video)

The questions were followed by an open Q&A with the audience (begins at about 1:04:05 in video).