Professors, students, politicians, and community members gather to discuss housing unaffordability in Kingston.
Around 60 to 70 Kingston residents gathered at The Spire, 82 Sydenham Street, on Oct. 4 for a town hall hosted by the Sydenham District Association (SDA). The meeting, chaired by SDA’s Dan Corbett, ran from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and brought together community members, government representatives, and industry stakeholders to discuss Kingston’s housing crisis, which Corbett attributed in part to the city’s growing student population.
The event was moderated by Kevin Wood, a Sydenham resident and teacher at Central Public School. The town hall was organized into three segments: an expert panel, a question-and-answer session allowing residents to share their input, and a breakout session in which small groups identified their top concerns and discussed potential solutions.
Participants first heard from an expert panel including David Gordon, director of the Queen’s School of Urban Planning; A.J. Keilty, CEO of Varsity Communities; Edlira Ballaj, AMS commissioner of external affairs; Dawood Tullah, president of Society of Graduate and Professional Studies; Conny Glenn, Sydenham District city councillor; and Ted Hsu, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kingston and the Islands.
An administrative representative from the University was meant to attend the meeting but cancelled. Corbett, who made the announcement, didn’t have a reason for why Queen’s had rescinded their RSVP at the last minute. Many residents shared their disappointment and frustration at the news that Queen’s would not be attending the town hall.
Gordon opened the panel by discussing the term “studentification,” which refers to enrolment growth exceeding university housing availability, leading to an increase in student populations in the broader community.
He explained how this trend has led to changes such as increased rent affordability issues for students and the broader Kingston community. He also discussed why the issue of studentification matters.
“It [studentification] can lead to changes in services and amenities. […] It can lead to increased rents for students, but especially for people who […] live in inexpensive, affordable housing close to downtown. It can result in displacement of low-income renters, which is happening in Kingston,” Gordon said.
Ballaj and Tullah shared student testimonies gathered by the AMS student experience survey, which was sent by email to students on Sept. 4. The survey included concerns about mould, unresponsive landlords, and the fear of walking home alone at night.
“Our landlord ignores mould. We just live with it,” one student wrote, according to Ballaj.
During their presentation, Ballaj stated the students “are asking for the basics.” This included an end to overcrowding, safe homes, inclusive housing for grad, undergrads and international students, and long-term investments in non-market and affordable units.
According to Glenn, the City is facing a housing crisis that has “built up over an extraordinarily long period of time,” and the city is working on an official planning process intending to create a “cohesive plan.” Glenn didn’t provide further details about the plan, including when it would be released.
Finally, Hsu focused attention on Bill 185, the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, passed in 2024 by the Ontario Legislature. The bill allows universities to construct housing on their own land without undergoing municipal zoning processes. He noted that universities such as York and Guelph are already utilizing the legislation and that it “might cut the total cost of construction by roughly 20 per cent.”
During the open mic period that followed, residents asked questions to the panel and shared their own recommendations. SDA board member Tara Sharkey made recommendations such as landlord licensing and transparency on Queen’s land holdings.
Due to Queen’s cancellation of the town hall at the last minute, many residents shared their dissatisfaction, and they also questioned whether the University feels it has a commitment or connection to Kingston and Kingstonians.
Some Kingstonians who spoke during the open mic period demanded that Glenn hold the University accountable for the part they are playing in the housing issue.
Breakout groups at the end of the town hall gave residents a chance to brainstorm solutions and share in common concerns. It also gave individuals the chance to speak directly, one-on-one, with city councillors and panellists.
Glenn told the town hall she will be meeting with Queen’s Principal Patrick Deane and Provost Matthew Evans in the coming two weeks, where she plans to talk strictly about housing.
Tags
housing crisis, Syndenham District Association, The Spire
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