A Community Benefits Framework is a road map to guide both public infrastructure and private development investments so they can meet community priorities — social, economic, and environmental.
Community Benefit Agreements are not new to the development dynamic. In urban centres across North America, community advocacy groups routinely lobby for these legal pacts. They provide higher affordable housing ratios, employment opportunities, skills training, business opportunities, and community infrastructure.
They are new in rural settings, though. PEC’s new Community Benefits Framework, which launched June 3, is a leader in community-led rural development.
“The PEC Community Benefits Framework marks a shift in how rural communities approach growth, placing community leadership, shared goals, and long-term impact at the heart of development,” said County Foundation interim director Gillian Armstrong.
The Network will keep key local challenges —
affordable housing, a strong local economy, and environmental sustainability —
front and center.
A coalition of residents, advocates, and more than two dozen community groups and local agencies will work to ensure new investment here benefits everyone, especially those historically underrepresented in economic growth.
The Toronto Community Benefits Network has successfully lobbied the commercial developers of two Rapid Transit projects to create nearly 300 apprenticeship opportunities. Other CBNs in major cities have secured 50/50 affordable housing projects, larger parks, and employment agreements with private land developers.
This innovative and local framework is the product of deep community engagement and broad collaboration. The lead agency is Thrive PEC. The Prince Edward Learning Centre, as well as Community Futures and the County of Prince Edward are implementation partners. The Network’s aim is to keep key local challenges — affordable housing, a strong local economy, and environmental sustainability — front and centre.
Pinecrest Housing has signed a letter of intent to enter a Community Benefits Agreement with the County’s new Network.
Ms. Armstrong said the housing initiative at the former Pinecrest Memorial School aligns with the CBN’s community development goals, set out in its Community Benefits Framework. Pinecrest will offer 50 units of affordable housing for seniors, along with a community hub.
It has also committed to prioritizing local hiring, and creating opportunities for people facing barriers to employment, including women, people with disabilities, BIPOC residents, and economically marginalized individuals.
“We commend Pinecrest Housing for stepping up as a partner in this work,” said Ms. Armstrong. “Their leadership sets the tone for future development in the County.”
“When we work together, we are stronger,” added Pinecrest Housing Project Facilitator Ken How. “I’ve done enough team sports in my life to know a team works better together.”
Pinecrest has partnered with Phil Spry’s Springale Development and building will soon be underway. Springale is a Quinte Region leader in affordable housing builds, with successful projects in Marmora and Belleville.
Both Bay of Quinte MP Chris Malette and MPP Tyler Allsopp have toured the site. Hopes are high both will deliver on funding grants to get the project underway.
Mr. How noted there are over 1,000 surplus school buildings in Ontario. Those buildings, once retrofitted, offer a solution to the province’s housing crunch.
After hearing of a County-made CBN, other rural municipalities have contacted Thrive and PELC to start their own. This community is Ground Zero for a rural version of a successful urban development model.
Interim County CAO Adam Goheen said it will take some time to explore the Framework.
“Thrive and PELC have done tremendous groundwork to determine what the community wants out of new developments. Affordable housing is very much at the top of that list, but there are other key opportunities that can be explored as well.”
He was also pleased to see Pinecrest sign on as the first PEC Community Benefits Framework partner.
“We are all very eager to see Pinecrest get off the ground. There’s a growing number of seniors in the County who are over housed, and this concept would be perfect for them. Senior co-housing has the vital social benefits of interaction and there’s a 2-for-1 benefit in that we can introduce more houses into the matrix for families who are looking for larger homes.”
See it in the newspaper
13° Cloudy
