‘A different dynamic’ in homes of future
The trend from single-family to multi-generation homes considered by Niagara Falls
One aspect Niagara Falls’ new official plan will consider is how different household types may be used over the next 30 years.
Currently, 29.8 per cent of households in the city are two-person households without children, 27.3 per cent one person living alone, 24.4 per cent a family with children, 13.4 per cent lone-parent families, and five per cent other.
The data was included in a presentation during a public meeting as municipal officials and their consultants began the process of developing the plan. It will act as a landuse road map to accommodate an expected 60 per cent population growth to 141,000 residents, from 94,400, along with 20,000 new homes and more than 17,000 new jobs by 2051.
“I’ve done a lot of reading on this saying that there’s going to be a lot of single-family homes coming up because I know some people want to stay where they live and they’d like to stay and age in place, but there’s going to be a lot of singlefamily homes that are going to be coming on to the market, but our targets divide single-family homes, apartments, duplexes,” said Coun. Lori Lococo.
“I was surprised that single-family homes were a lot higher than the apartments and other types of housing.”
Kira Dolch, the city’s general manager of planning, building and development, said historically many single-family homes have been developed and now “we’re looking at different forms.”
“It’s not to say singles may not change in the future, they may be smaller singles because there is still a quadrant of the population definitely that would like to live in a single-family detached dwelling,” she said.
“Even, for example, a senior. Although they have maybe a two-storey single-detached dwelling, a lot of them may not want to go into an
‘‘ We’re starting to see a trend now that those singledetached dwellings may become three separate dwelling units.
KIRA DOLCH NIAGARA FALLS GENERAL MANAGER OF PLANNING, BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT
apartment, they may want to go into a smaller residence, but there is no option for them there. You can’t discount that single-detached dwellings — I keep saying family, I shouldn’t — those detached dwellings … there is an aspect of the population that still likes those.”
Dolch said what may happen, however, is they’ll “start to morph into something a bit different.”
“We’re starting to see a trend now that those single-detached dwellings may become three separate dwelling units,” she said.
“The province just allowed three dwelling units ... and you may see them right inside a detached dwelling. I think you’re going to see a change in behaviours, and things like that to allow people to, one, afford housing and, two, provide things that they want to see.”
Dolch said people may want to live with their family on three levels and have a backyard they all share.
“You’re going to see a different dynamic and that’s why I think the work that (consulting firm) The Planning Partnership will do to engage the community, we’ll start to hear those conversations on how people really want to live now versus what we have been used to, which was single-detached dwellings generally everywhere.”
Lococo said she’s intrigued by a development style in Germany.
“I know we’ve been doing a lot of stacked townhouses and every time I look at them, I see this great big set of stairs and I’m thinking accessibility issues, people can’t get into them,” she said.
“In Germany, instead of having the stacked townhouses going (vertically), they have them going another way (horizontally), just like you said about having a patio going out into the backyard, one would have window boxes and not go out in the backyard, one would have a rooftop, so there’s a lot of different ways in other countries that are not necessarily the stacked townhouses.”
Lococo said she hopes the city looks at a variety of homes.
“I don’t know how they fit within our bylaws and that sort of thing, but maybe we can look at some more creative, out-ofthe-box thinking, instead of the stacked townhouses because I do see them being very problematic in the next little while,” Lococo said,
Coun. Mike Strange said there are more mixed developments consisting of commercial and residential uses.
“Almost like a gated community you see near Grimsby there along the water because people can work from home now and they’re going to be travelling (on the) train to Toronto because they only have to maybe do that twice a week or they can live in Niagara Falls and it’s more affordable for them,” he said.
“We see different types of homes now. Everything was always single family, now you’re seeing multi-generation homes.
“I know one of the developers is starting to do that where they have three different levels where they have the main for them, they have a lower or upper for their in-laws and then for the kids who are just growing up because that’s the way it’s going to be more affordable,” Strange added.