At a time when the need has never been greater in Sarnia-Lambton, a 24-unit affordable housing project under construction along London Road is two years late and has been delayed again.
Lambton County’s housing services, which is responsible for all local social housing, just filed a report that says occupancy at 993 Maxwell St. won’t be possible until mid-to-late 2024.
That’s the fourth time the occupancy date has been postponed.
The project, which will put a small dent in Sarnia-Lambton’s need for about 2,500 new affordable housing units, will be located on a piece of county-owned property between Maxwell Street and London Road, adjacent to a 57-unit affordable housing project the county built in 2011.
When they were announced in 2022, the county put the price tag on the 24 units at $6.1 million. It’s now estimated at $7 million.
In 2022, county officials said they hoped to fast-track the new three-storey building by using a new approach to construction where units are manufactured off-site in numerous modules and assembled on a foundation. The modules were built in the Toronto area and are being stored in a Sarnia warehouse, ready to go but waiting until the foundation is built.
Warden Kevin Marriott, who is the elected chairman of Lambton County Council, spoke to The Journal about delays with the project and said he believes the same kinds of construction problems are being experienced “all over.”
“Yes, it’s been a long time,” said Marriott. “But for something that is being built from the bottom up, I don’t think it’s any different from any other construction job right now."
Lambton County staff estimate it will be August, possibly October, before occupancy is possible.
Marriott acknowledged that delays have jacked up the project’s cost by almost $1 million but said $290,000 to build each apartment “isn’t that far above the average cost for a new affordable unit.”
It’s anticipated that when the units are available, rents will be 80% of market rents set by the Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation.
A recent staff report outlined why the project known as Maxwell Park Place has been significantly delayed four times:
• Early on, contractors found water and power lines that weren’t charted and needed to be relocated, then found organic material in the soil;
• Poor weather;
• Labour shortages and supply chain problems; and
• Foundation design changes that required city approval for a new foundation building permit.
The latest staff report sounded encouraging in that the city issued the new permit in November and foundation work resumed in January.
It’s now anticipated that the foundation will be completed in February and ready for module installation.
Once ready, the 24 units at Maxwell Park Place will house mostly seniors and six will be designated as supportive housing for March of Dimes Canada.
In her report, Housing Services Manager Melisa Johnson noted that the county’s housing and homelessness plan calls for 75 more affordable housing units to be built by 2024 with the assistance of government funding.