As part of the City of Kitchener’s efforts to support the development of affordable housing, the City is releasing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify a proponent for the development and operation of affordable housing on City-owned land (0.56-acre site at Wellington Street North and Lancaster Street West) through a long-term lease agreement.

This RFP is a revised version of an earlier RFP issued in December 2024 and contains important changes and provisions that the City believes will make it a viable proposition for local non-profits. The application process has been simplified, and the role that the City will play in supporting and facilitating this development has been clarified and enhanced.

Highlights of the revision include:

Simplified Application Requirements: The response consists of a preliminary proposal of what the Proponent would like to achieve onsite.

Affordable Units Permitted As of Right: Dwelling units that qualify as affordable housing as defined in the Provincial Planning Statement are considered a public service use when provided in partnership with the City.  Qualifying units are permitted in any zone where a dwelling unit is permitted (and as detailed by regulation 5.8 of Zoning By-law 85-1) and no parking is required to be provided for the affordable housing units.

No Parking Requirements: The new public use zoning provision releases new affordable housing development from parking requirements on the property.

Application Concierge Service: The successful Proponent will be able to leverage the City’s affordable housing concierge service, which assists applicants in navigating the development approvals process.

Remediation is Paid For and in Progress: The City is assuming all costs related to the  Record of Site Condition (RSC) process. The City has obtained a Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment for the property.  Additional testing will take place in early 2025 with results sent to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to obtain a RSC.

Eligibility for Reduced / Waived Development Application and Building Permit Fees: Proponents may apply for an exemption from development application fees and building permit fees if they are planning eligible affordable rental housing development in Kitchener. Proponents may also be eligible for reduced or waived development application and building permit fees for other units in their proposal.

Eligibility for Pilot Funding: This project is eligible for the City’s Not for Profit Affordable Rental and Co-op Housing Incentive that grants $10,000 per affordable unit to support upfront costs of project design.