The City of North Bay is actively implementing a range of housing initiatives to accelerate the creation of new homes, address local housing needs, and support inclusive, sustainable communities. These programs leverage federal and provincial funding, data-driven planning, and innovative municipal strategies to remove barriers to housing development and increase supply.
Housing Accelerator Fund
The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a federal funding program designed to help municipalities improve housing processes and accelerate the creation of new housing.
The City of North Bay was awarded $10.6 million in federal funding through HAF. This funding is intended to remove barriers to housing development, modernize municipal processes, and support the creation of more housing units. The program also supports the development of affordable, inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient communities through locally led housing initiatives.
As part of its HAF agreement, the City committed to delivering seven local initiatives that support faster housing approvals and increased housing supply.
Click on each initiative below to learn more.
The City of North Bay updated its Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit up to three Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) within the Urban Settlement Boundary. This initiative supports the creation of new housing units within existing neighbourhoods.
Status: Complete
Learn more: [Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) | City of North Bay]
The City of North Bay has identified approximately 10.6ha of city owned land that could be available for residential housing projects. The City had placed this property on Bids and Tenders to identify a proponent to development the lands.
Status: The City of North Bay is still working through this initiative.
The Housing Target Area has been expanded to cover the entire urban settlement boundary. In doing so, the City aims to provide financial incentives to property owners throughout the city for infill and intensification of residential development.
The City is offering top-up funding of up to $25,000 per dwelling unit for net new housing units. This initiative is specifically focused on rental housing projects and aims to encourage the development of Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) and new multiple residential apartment buildings. The top-up funding is supported by long-term policy and regulation development that ensures continued ADU and multi-unit housing construction.
The goal of the Growth CIP Housing Target Area is to support the creation of various housing types, including missing middle, non-market, and market rental housing, throughout the City by reducing the cost of construction.
Status: Complete
For more information: Target Areas | City of North Bay
The City of North Bay extended its Development Charges By-law to remain in effect until October 10, 2029, following Council approval of the extension in 2024. This extension provides clarity and predictability for developers by keeping the current development charge structure in place. Development Charge rates have remained unchanged since 2014 and are currently approximately 50% below the maximum rate permitted under the 2014 by-law.
To further support new housing construction, the City has implemented reduced and waived Development Charges, including:
- Entry-level and starter homes:
- Development Charges reduced by 50% or fully waived, depending on the size of the dwelling.
- Full Development Charge waivers for:
- Affordable housing projects
- College and university housing projects (supporting student housing)
- Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs)
These measures are supported through the Growth Community Improvement Plan (Growth CIP), which provides municipal fee waivers and tax incentives for eligible new affordable housing projects.
Status: Complete
Learn more: [Development Charges | City of North Bay] [Target Areas | City of North Bay]
The City of North Bay has implemented a fully electronic permitting system, called CityWide, for Building Permits and Planning Applications. This system allows applicants to submit, track, and receive approvals online, streamlining the approval process and improving efficiency and transparency.
CityWide also supports automated workflows and concurrent file reviews across departments, while enabling the City to report on key performance indicators for planning and building permit processing.
In addition, the City is expanding the delegation of Planning Act approvals to municipal staff for routine and technical applications. This delegation allows staff to approve certain matters, such as removal of a holding zone, Temporary Use By-laws, Consent Granting Officials and extension to Draft Plan of Subdivision and/or Condominiums, and Validation Certificates. These measures are intended to reduce approval timelines and allow developers and property owners to receive faster, more predictable decisions.
Status:
- E-Permitting (CityWide): Complete
- Delegation By-law: In progress
Learn more: [Apply for a Permit | City of North Bay]
The City of North Bay has a strong history of supporting and facilitating all types of development within the community. The City proposes to enhance this service for affordable housing projects.
DART is designed to streamline development and building approvals, ensuring that all projects—including non-market and purpose-built multiple residential dwellings—are processed efficiently. This initiative supports the City’s overall strategy to support new housing creation and aligns with other programs, including the Growth Community Improvement Plan (Growth CIP).
This initiative includes:
- Case management for priority projects: Ensures applications are efficiently managed through all necessary development approvals.
- Dedicated concierge support: A single point of contact assists non-profit housing providers in navigating the development and building permit process.
- Collaboration with social services: Facilitates discussions with the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB), which oversees social housing in North Bay.
By combining enhanced support for affordable housing with continued service for all development types, DART helps bring new housing and other key projects online faster, improving overall community development outcomes.
Status: Complete
Learn more: [Development Application Review Team | City of North Bay]
The City of North Bay has reduced parking requirements for Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) to 0.5 spaces per unit. This reduction increases flexibility for housing development, allowing more dwelling units per property, reducing land needed for parking, and improving project feasibility and density.
This initiative is supported by the City’s Active Transportation Plan, adopted in 2019, which sets a vision for a connected and integrated transportation network that encourages walking, cycling, and transit use while reducing reliance on personal vehicles. Key improvements under the plan include the installation of 21 bicycle racks on transit buses and 30 secure bicycle and personal storage areas at transit terminals, stops, and popular cycling destinations.
Together, these measures support sustainable transportation, enhance accessibility, and help create opportunities for denser, more efficient housing development.
Status: Complete
Learn more: [Active Transportation | City of North Bay]
Housing Accelerator Fund Targets and Progress
Under the HAF agreement, the City of North Bay has a target of 840 new housing units over the term of the program, including:
- 70 affordable housing units
- 240 missing middle units
- 420 Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Year 2 HAF Funding – Three Streams
In Year 2 of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), Council has approved three streams of funding, available starting January 2026. Applicants must choose one stream to apply under, and submissions will be evaluated and ranked based on eligibility criteria and available funding for that stream.
Funding Streams:
- Stream 1: Affordable Rental Housing – $1 million allocated
- Stream 2: Multi-Residential Rental Units – $1 million allocated
- Stream 3: Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) – $600,000 allocated
The total Year 2 funding is $2.6 million. Funds will be awarded to projects that meet the objectives of the chosen stream.
More Details:
- For a full overview of the Year 2 HAF implementation plan, see Report to Council CSBU-2025-066.
- For information on Year 2 funding and instructions on how to apply for the three streams, visit [Streams of Growth CIP Top-Up Funding | City of North Bay].
Housing Action Plan
The federal government provides funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund, which offers incentive funding to municipalities that implement initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply.
The City of North Bay has applied for this funding and developed a Housing Action Plan that outlines initiatives intended to remove barriers to housing development, modernize approval processes, and support the faster delivery of new housing.
The initiatives identified in the Housing Action Plan are intended to support the development of complete communities that are walkable, support a mix of housing types and densities, and provide access to amenities, services, and public and active transportation.
The Housing Action Plan is intended to support long-term, transformational change and help accelerate the supply of housing units across the city.
Housing Pledge
In August 2023, the Ontario government assigned housing targets to 21 additional municipalities, including the City of North Bay, as part of its plan to build at least 1.5 million homes across Ontario by 2031.
North Bay was assigned a target of 1,000 new residential units by 2031. City Council formally accepted this target and submitted a written commitment—known as the Housing Pledge—to the Province, which was approved by Council on November 14, 2023.
By submitting a Housing Pledge, municipalities become eligible for Ontario’s Building Faster Fund, a three-year, $1.2 billion incentive program. The fund provides up to $400 million per year to municipalities that are making progress toward their assigned housing targets.
Funding is performance-based and is allocated annually. Each municipality’s share is determined by its portion of the provincial housing target and its progress in delivering new housing units each year.
North Bay’s target represents approximately 0.067% of Ontario’s overall housing goal. Based on this share, the City’s potential funding allocation is up to $800,000, subject to meeting annual housing targets.
News Releases:
- Ontario Rewards North Bay With $400,000 Through the Building Faster Fund
Second round of funding (August 01, 2025) - Ontario Rewards North Bay with $400,000 for Exceeding 2023 Housing Targets (March 14 2024)
Housing Needs Assessment
A Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) is a federally required, evidence-based study used to help communities understand their current and future housing needs. It examines local housing conditions to identify gaps in supply, affordability challenges, and the types of housing needed to support residents at different life stages and income levels.
The Government of Canada requires Housing Needs Assessments as part of its evidence-based approach to housing and infrastructure funding. HNAs are used by all levels of government to better understand local housing needs and to inform planning, policy development, and investment decisions.
The City of North Bay’s Housing Needs Assessment provides a data-driven foundation to support local planning, policy decisions, and funding applications. It helps align future housing growth with infrastructure and community priorities and supports informed decision-making aimed at ensuring residents have access to suitable, adequate, and affordable housing.
Related Information
District of Nipissing Housing Services
Contact
Adam Curran
Policy & Business Development Planner, MAAC Staff Liaison