Suite Talk: The Barriers and Opportunities of Providing Secondary Suites in Rural Metro-Adjacent Regions of Eastern Ontario by Montana Caletti A thesis Presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in Planning Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2018 ©Montana Caletti 2018 Author’s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract Providing an adequate supply of affordable housing has become an increasing challenge for Ontario municipalities. As a result, changes were made to the Planning Act requiring all Ontario municipalities to implement provisions to permit secondary suites within their zoning bylaws, and official plans. While the implementation of these changes expanded the opportunities for municipalities to increase the supply of affordable housing, several barriers were also encountered. The topic of secondary suites is most frequently studied from an urban perspective. However, given the unique characteristics, and prevailing conditions commonly found in rural communities, these areas impose distinct planning considerations that must be approached differently than urban areas. Therefore, this study examined the opportunities and constraints experienced throughout the implementation of secondary suites by rural metro-adjacent municipalities in Eastern Ontario. The opportunities revealed through the study included: diversifying the existing housing stock, providing supplementary income to homeowners, making better use of existing infrastructure, providing a means for homeowners to aide family members, and increasing municipal control over secondary suite rental housing. Barriers were identified as: servicing issues, the older age and existing condition of homes, a lack of education among the community, limited planning resources, community resistance to change, personnel changes, difficulties adhering to building codes, and a lack of demand for rental purposes. Additionally, the research uncovered several measures that rural communities can use to increase the presence of secondary suites moving forward. These include: the creation of educational materials, continuing to explore funding opportunities, maintaining positive community relationships, increasing communication between departments, sharing best practices, and the continued promotion of secondary suites throughout communities. iii Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Mark Seasons, for guiding me through the research process. It is with his encouragement and guidance that I was able to complete this project. I would also like to thank my committee member, Dr. Markus Moos for his commitment, time, and recommendations, which ultimately made my thesis stronger. I would also like to thank my parents, Mark and Cassandra for their continuous support throughout my academic endeavours, and for being a source of constant inspiration to work hard, and continue learning throughout my life. To Fraser, thanks for always being my biggest motivator (and my biggest distraction) – you helped me through this process more than you know. Finally, I would like to thank all my fellow students and professors for their encouragement, suggestions, and reassurance throughout the completion of this research. iv Dedication To my dad, Mark, and my mum, Cassandra. Thank you endlessly. v Table of Contents Table of Contents Author’s Declaration .................................................................................................... ii Abstract ...................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... iv Dedication ................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ........................................................................................................ vi List of Tables ............................................................................................................... ix List of Figures ............................................................................................................... x Chapter One: Introduction ........................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Research Context ........................................................................................................ 4 1.3 Overview of Chapters .................................................................................................. 7 Chapter Two: Literature Review ................................................................................... 9 2.1 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Affordable Housing in Canada ...................................................................................... 10 2.3 Ontario’s Planning Policies ........................................................................................... 11 2.3.1 Defining Secondary Suites ............................................................................................ 12 2.3.2 Ontario’s Secondary Suite Policies ............................................................................... 15 2.3.2.1 Roles and Responsibilities in Ontario .................................................................................. 18 2.4 Benefits of Secondary Suites ......................................................................................... 20 2.4.1 Social Benefits .............................................................................................................. 20 2.4.2 Economic Benefits ........................................................................................................ 23 2.4.3 Environmental Benefits ................................................................................................ 24 2.4.4 Regulatory Benefits ...................................................................................................... 24 2.5 Ontario’s Rural Communities ........................................................................................ 25 2.5.1 Defining Rural Communities ......................................................................................... 26 2.5.1.1 Classifying Rural Communities: The Importance of Geography .......................................... 28 2.5.2 Development Characteristics of Rural Communities .................................................... 29 2.5.2.1 Rural Land Use Pattern Challenges ...................................................................................... 30 2.5.2.2 Rural Built Environment Challenges .................................................................................... 31 2.5.2.3 Rural Social Development Challenges ................................................................................. 32 2.3.2.4 Rural Economic Development Challenges ........................................................................... 33 2.6 The Nature of Rural Housing ......................................................................................... 34 2.7 Barriers to Secondary Suites in Ontario Communities ................................................... 39 2.7.1 Planning for Affordable Housing in Rural Ontario ........................................................ 42 2.8 Literature Review Conclusion ....................................................................................... 43 2.8.1 Key Takeaways: Gaps in the Literature ........................................................................ 45 Chapter Three: Research Design and Methodology .................................................... 47 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 47 vi 3.2 Research Question ....................................................................................................... 48 3.3 Selected Research Methods .......................................................................................... 49 3.4 Phase One: Selection of the Case Study Area ................................................................ 52 3.4.1 Justification of the Selected Site .................................................................................. 54 3.4.2 Description of the Case Study Area .............................................................................. 55 3.5 Phase Two: Content Analysis ........................................................................................ 59 3.5.1 Content Analysis of Official Plans ................................................................................. 60 3.5.2 Content Analysis of Zoning By-Laws ............................................................................. 62 3.6 Phase Three: Semi-Structured Interviews ..................................................................... 64 3.6.1 Content Analysis of Interview Findings .......................................................................