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Cranbrook, BC (April 22, 2020) – Public engagement including a survey is now underway, as part of the City of Cranbrook’s creation of a Housing Needs Report.   All British Columbia municipalities are required to develop the report to meet new requirements of the Ministry of Municipal and Housing Affairs.

The City and its consultant, CitySpaces Consulting is conducting the survey, which is available online from Wednesday April 22 until Wednesday May 13, 2020 and can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/CranbrookHNA.

“Collecting data is only one part of the housing story. We need to hear from residents about their key housing concerns in order to better understand the unique housing needs in Cranbrook,” says Jada Basi, Manager of Housing and Community Planning with CitySpaces Consulting.

CitySpaces will also be reaching out to community stakeholders over the next month to conduct direct interviews and hold some focus groups, once the initial data collection component of the report is wrapped up.

The City’s Housing Needs Report will provide the provincial government with an understanding of the recent projected changes in demographics and housing and provide an important context to identify community specific information to ensure housing needs are met.  The report is mandated to be undertaken every five years, and being funded by a $30,000 provincial housing grant.

“Information we can collect locally on our housing needs and gaps will provide us important tools to assist in planning for our community, and it contributes our information to the large housing needs picture across the province,” says Chris New, Director of Community Services with the City.

The report will also provide the City with a broad understanding of the housing situation in Cranbrook, which can inform current and long range planning processes and initiatives.  In addition to the legislated requirements of the report, the City has expanded the scope to dig further into the affordability aspect of housing needs.

If you would like more information about the housing needs report, please contact Chris New, Director of Community Services at (250) 489-0251 or by email at [email protected].