Steven Haase

City/Township Council · Woolwich Ward 2

All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes

This candidate finalized their responses after this guide and scoring methodology was published.

Housing & Homelessness

How should municipalities and the Region balance providing permanent housing with the management of encampments in public spaces?select up to 3 per part

A. Pathways to permanent housing

Prioritize rapid acquisition or conversion of existing buildings
Partner with non-profit and supportive housing providers
Use publicly owned land for permanent or interim housing

B. Interim management of encampments

Establish and maintain clear minimum standards (sanitation, safety, outreach)
Expand the hours and capacity of extreme-weather shelter protections beyond current levels
Require that enforcement actions be linked to the availability of adequate indoor alternatives

C. Accountability and collaboration between levels of government

Establish clear regional leadership with coordinated municipal roles
Actively advocate to the province for defined funding triggers and program supports
Publish ongoing performance metrics (e.g. housing placements, shelter bed access)

Please describe one concrete policy, program, or decision you would support to address both encampments and permanent housing.candidate's own words

I'd support Woolwich publishing a full inventory of township-owned land and buildings that are surplus or underused, and offering suitable sites to non-profit housing providers on long-term, low-cost leases. The Region already funds and runs housing and support services, so the township's most useful contribution is land in the right places: close to transit, groceries and health services in our communities. A site like that could hold supportive or transitional units first and permanent affordable homes later. That gives outreach workers a real indoor option to offer, which matters because enforcement should only happen when someone has somewhere adequate to go. It also means the township isn't building or running housing itself. It's putting public assets to work alongside partners who already know how to do this work. I'd want the inventory to be public and updated every year, so residents can see what the township owns and how it's being used. Woolwich doesn't have the scale of encampments that larger cities do, but every community in the Region should take on part of the solution.

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on housing?candidate's own words

I want more homes in Woolwich, especially affordable ones. That means supporting things like secondary suites, garden homes, and modest apartment buildings on main streets, at a scale that fits each village. Building within existing communities uses roads, pipes and services we already pay for, which is better for both the township budget and the environment. That's also why I'm asking council and the township to respect the four-storey guideline in downtown St. Jacobs. I'm not trying to stop growth. I want it in places where it strengthens the village and its character without adding costs to future taxpayers.