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8 bd 5 Oakville Beaver | Thursday, July 20, 2023 | FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS THE REGION FELL SHORT Halton Region missed its affordable housing tar- get in 2022, the first time in four years the region fell short, the latest regional housing report shows. Only 21.6 per cent of housing sales last year across Halton were in the affordable range, set at the maximum affordable pur- chase price of $496,300 — far below the 30 per cent goal. According to Munici- pal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) sales ita cited in the 2022 state i the sold across Halton, 1,323 units were sold at a higher price than the set limit. The remaining 333 housing units were sold at or below the threshold; all but one were apartments. There were also 25 new as- sisted housing unit The report ishlights ongoing gaps in the num- ber of available affordable rental housing and assis- ted housing. The average rent in Hal- ton for private/market HALTON NOT MEETING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TARGET: REPORT townhouse and apartment rental units was $1,695 in 2022, an increase of 5.9 per cent. These were based on data from the CMHC anni alrental market survey, ac- cording to the repo! i v egion iscommitted to create up to 600 more assisted housing by 2031 with dedicated funding from the federal al and provincial gove ments. With more higher densi- ty housing, such as apart- ments, in the works, the re- port states that the 30 per cent housing affordability target may continue to be achievable in the coming Halton Region has released its 2022 state of housing report. see crOss the region, there was a decline in housing construction activity in 2022, with the number down 46.6 per cent at 2,115 new housing completions compared to 2021. Neatly half of the new units we in Oakville (1,038 units), followed by Milton (697 units), Halton Hills (284 units) and Burlington (96 nits) Of ‘the completed new housing in 2022, 963 were single-detached units, 574 were apartment units, 134 were semi-detached units, and 44 were townhouse units. The total number of Metroland file photo home sales and _Tesal les across the municipalities in 2022 was 10, 633, down 29.1per centfrom the previ- f all Si re 287,044, up 18. per cent year over year. The average price of new sales was $900, oa aad 19.1 per cent from 20: BUSINESSES SHOW RECOVERY SIGNS AFTER REGION RELEASES 2022 EMPLOYMENT SURVEY RESULTS The 2022 employment survey results are out, pro- viding insight into busi- ness and employment ac- tivities across Halton. Af- ter a tough few pandemic years, there are more signs of a recovery, with | the re. gion recording an in then number of business. es and jobs in 2022. (©; OAKVILLE Here are some of the highlights from the Halton Region's 13th annual em- ployment survey. re were 555 busi- nesses identified as closed and 775 newly identified businesses, resulting in a net inerease of 220 busi- total, there were 13,820 business operations in 2022 — up from 13,600 businesses the year before. ‘ansportation and warehouse sector had the highest net decrease of businesses in 2022, down 38.5 per cent from 316 busi- nesses to 305 businesses — while the health and care and social assistance sec- tor had the highest net in- crease, up 3.4 per cent from 1,716 businesses to 1,775 businesses. The region gained 5,400 jobs last year — up froman estimated 234,800 jobs to 240,200 jobs, an increase of 2.3 per cent. There were 17,900 jobs gained from existing busi- nesses and 3,800 jobs from new businesses, but these were offset by 5,200 jobs lost due to business clo- sures last year and 110 100 jobs lost in existing bi nesses. The information cultural industries sector saw the highest net de- crease of an estimated 1,320 jobs in 2022, down 22.8 per cent from 5,800 jobs to 4,480 jobs—whiletheeducation- al services sector had a net increase of about 2,410 jobs, up 11.9 per cent from 20,200 jobs to 22,610 jobs. PANDEMIC large number of Hal- employers offered ments in 2022, though the number was slightly down of the 7,410 businesses that responded to this survey question, 23.3 per cent or 1,728 businesses had work- from-home arrangements with employees, a decrease of 3.4 per cent compared to 2021. Of the businesses that hadsuch arrangements, an oakville.ca estimated 20,100 employees. were identified to be work- from home, about 42 per cent of the total em- ployees within the busi- nesses. A total of 7,741 business- es took part in the 2022 sur- vey, representing a partici- pation rate of 56 per cent. While still down from pre- years, this improvements from 2020 and 2021, whi fad 40.3 per cent and 47.9 cent participation rates, respectively. 1e 2023 employment survey is now und erway a return to in-person survey method. iy Notices made under the Ontario Heritage Act insidehalton.com Public notices required under the Ontario Heritage Act are now published on the town’s website. At its meeting of July 10, 2023, Oakville Town Council resolved to pass a Notice of Intention to Designate for the properties at: 329 Douglas Avenue, 405 Galt Avenue, 3480 Ninth Line and 3048 Trafalgar Road. Any objection to these designations must be filed no later than August 14, 2023. To see the complete notices, please go to www.oakville.ca and search for ‘News and notices’ or contact Carolyn Van Sligtenhorst, Supervisor of Heritage Conservation, at 905-845-6601 ext.3875 (TTY 905-338- 4200), or by email at carolyn.van@oakville.ca.