THE DEVEOPMENT OF "BROWNFIELD SITES" THE ANSWER TO HOUSING AFFORDABILITY?

Brownfield sites,can also be  abandoned or underutilized commercial or industrial properties where environmental contamination has previously been caused but which retain potential for redevelopment or economic opportunities, currently number around 30,000 across Canada.

Brownfield sites do not have to be large in scale. Gas station and dry cleaner operations, which can be and often are located outside designated commercial and industrial areas, typically produce a range of subsurface contaminants. Pesticides and heavy metals like lead and mercury, left unobserved, could also pose community safety risks, though the cost of remediating the soil and making it suitable for future development has been a significant barrier for many builders. In an effort to revitalize these derelict properties, government programs in various jurisdictions have been created to help predict or offset the expense of remediation. Brownfield sites do not have to be large in scale. Gas station and dry cleaner operations, which can be and often are located outside designated commercial and industrial areas, typically produce a range of subsurface contaminants. Pesticides and heavy metals like lead and mercury, left unobserved, could also pose community safety risks, though the cost of remediating the soil and making it suitable for future development has been a significant barrier for many builders. In an effort to revitalize these derelict properties, government programs in various jurisdictions have been created to help predict or offset the expense of remediation.

Brownfield sites  are some of the more affordable pieces of land that are available. The challenge is that developers really are cautious about developing because of the liability risks associated with those lands,” he said.

If CMHC would act as an insurer, there’s an opportunity here to make those lands available for development,  ergo more land available for affordable housing.”