Need a home in Okotoks but pricing is currently out of reach? Council has endorsed several recommendations from the Affordable Housing Task Force to address housing challenges in Okotoks.

Okotoks Town council unanimously on November 13th in support of the Affordable Housing Task Force.

A lot of research has been under taken to find out what Okotokians are currently paying for rental housing and it ranged from $1,868 a month to around $3,388.  This equated to anywhere between 41 per cent of their income to as high as 65 per cent! The Canadian Rental Housing Index states that on average rent in Okotoks is around 24 per cent higher than the Alberta average.

Part of the recommendations are

1. enable more secondary suites to be built and with that, relaxing some of the land use rules for these.
2. continue to monitor and track the need for affordable housing AND secure land for the future

In regard to the secondary suites it is recommended that council look at the legalization and the “how to” in order to utilize basements and also the future of attached and backyard suites for all types of properties.

With this would also come some changes to the land use bylaw.  This would allow the options of co-housing in single detached homes and two bedroom secondary suites (as it stands now it is only for one bedroom suites).  With the additional accommodation there will also be people and cars so they are also looking at relaxing some of the current parking restrictions etc.

So what does this mean to you?  You will be given greater flexibility on how you use your house.  If you want to gain some extra income AND help those needing more options for accommodation, then this could be the solution for you.  How and when this is to take place, I don’t know but we are definitely a step in the right direction.  It is a basic human need to have a safe place to call home, and it sounds like our council are on board to make this happen.