Simcoe County council has given the green light to a housing plan that will put more than $8.4 million toward helping 160 local households find a place to live or stay in their current homes. The decision was made at a June 23, 2026 meeting and also includes another $1.35 million in rent supplements through the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit.
The money will be used for a mix of things residents can see in their own neighbourhoods such as building new affordable rental units, fixing up existing homes, and helping people buy their first house. It also funds supportive housing for those who need extra stability.
This investment is part of the county’s bigger 10-year plan called Building Up Simcoe County which council adopted on November 25, 2025. That blueprint sets a target of serving 20,996 households by 2035 across the county’s 16 municipalities. It builds on a previous 10-year effort that wrapped up in 2024 and created roughly 3,700 new affordable homes.
The need remains high. As of late 2023, nearly 4,700 households were waiting for rent-geared-to-income housing in Simcoe County. At the same time, the county continues to move ahead with large construction projects, including a 220-unit development on Rose Street in Barrie expected to finish in 2027.
The plan approved this week balances money between creating new supply and keeping people in the homes they already have, whether through repairs or direct rent help. Residents can learn more about available housing programs through the county’s housing access page.
