The Municipality of Mississippi Mills and the Lanark Community Alliance have renewed their formal partnership to develop affordable housing in Almonte, aiming to add more rental options for local residents.
The two groups signed a four-year agreement on March 31, 2026, to explore building at least 10 affordable housing units on municipally owned land located at the southeast corner of Adelaide Street and McDermott Street. This new plan follows a previous effort started in 2022 on Victoria Street, which was redirected to make room for a new childcare facility.
Under the terms of the agreement, the municipality plans to transfer the land at Adelaide and McDermott streets to the alliance for $1 once the project secures the necessary funding. The initiative is currently moving through the planning phase, with a public meeting regarding required zoning changes set for April 14, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the municipal office on Old Perth Road. Residents can attend in person or participate online.
If the funding is secured, project leaders aim to begin site work as early as June 2026, with the goal of having the units ready for occupancy by summer 2027. This timeline is tied to a provincial funding opportunity that requires projects to be essentially shovel-ready.
Mayor Christa Lowry has identified housing affordability as one of the most pressing issues facing the community heading into 2026. This project is part of a broader effort to increase the local housing supply, supported by $3,315,592.80 in federal funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation through the Housing Accelerator Fund.
The Lanark Community Alliance, which is leading the development, is a partnership of three non-profit agencies: Carebridge Community Support, Clayton Seniors Housing Corporation, and Community Living Lanark County.
