The Municipality of Jasper has taken a major step towards securing land for future affordable housing developments.

Last week the town sent a formal proposal to Allan Latourelle, the Chief Executive Officer of Parks Canada, outlining their plan for housing development on land currently controlled by the federal agency within Jasper’s boundaries.

“Council understands the importance of residential land to the community,” said Verne Balding, the municipality’s director of corporate and legal services. Balding was unwilling to discuss the proposal in greater detail.

“We feel very strongly that it is inappropriate to negotiate in the media,” he said. “We are sure that Mr. Latourelle will respond in due course.”

A detailed proposal is necessary because Parks Canada has to follow Treasury Board regulations in any transaction involving the release of land, according to Barry Romanko, the Jasper townsite manager for the federal agency.

Land is to be released at market value unless there are stipulations on the lease that will lower the value of the property built on that land, he said. For example, the housing developments planned for a parcel of land could have rent restrictions that would not allow the annual cost of housing to exceed thirty per cent of the residents’ annual incomes.

Romanko has a list of land parcels zoned as residential reserve that have already been slated for immediate development. If and when the proposal is accepted, these areas would be leased to the municipality for future affordable housing units.

Some of the larger areas on this list include a parcel behind the Bear Hill Lodge, space along Cabin Creek Drive across from the trailer court and lots along the far side of Connaught.

Now that the proposal has been sent to Parks, the pressing question becomes assessing the value of the land mentioned in that document. Romanko said that Parks is not at all involved in the assessment process, which is carried out by the federal Department of Public Works.

A workable strategy for future housing developments is much needed, according to Romanko.

“We’re getting calls from people all the time and hopefully some of these housing needs can be addressed,” he said.

With their proposal set to disappear into the murky waters of federal bureaucracy for the foreseeable future, town council is planning to move ahead with preparations for a housing corporation.

The Jasper Housing Authority Working Group, presented a report to council in August 2004 that recommended the formation of a housing corporation during the course of this calendar year. This corporation, it was suggested, would be a public body directed by a five-person board. The working group had been studying the issue for a year at the time they made their report, but no further action had been taken by council until now.

At the last Committee of the Whole meeting held last month, a body was formed that will pursue the creation of a housing corporation committee. Councillors Brian Nesbitt, Andy Walker, Mike Day and Brenda Zinck will sit on this committee, which has yet to meet for the first time.

“So much does depend on land release but there’s nothing wrong with doing things in tandem,” said Zinck. With the Evergreens Foundation beginning to explore the possibility of building a low-cost housing complex in Jasper, Zinck said that the town needs to ensure that they don’t miss out on the opportunity due to a lack of available land. That being said, the Foundation’s activities did not provide the motivation to focus on the formation of a corporation, according to Zinck.

“For me personally, it didn’t make any difference,” she said. “I just wanted to get on with it.”

There is demand for housing solutions from across the demographic spectrum, Zinck said. In addition to the needs of senior citizens and retired Jasperites, a more affordable housing market might make the town a more attractive place for young families, she suggested.

“There are a lot of people, specifically young people, who would like to put their money into something rather than renting month to month,” Zinck said.

Given this apparent demand, others involved in the process find it surprising that it has been so long since the last housing co-operative came forward asking for support and land to build.

“The co-op initiatives that have happened have obviously relieved some of the pressure,” said Mayor Richard Ireland. “Although the need for housing is recognized, we haven’t seen the public demand lately.”

A recent priority-setting exercise undertaken by the mayor and council underlined the importance of the housing issue. It appeared near the top of each representative’s list, something that doesn’t surprise Ireland.

“It’s clear to me that the housing issue is still the top priority for Council,” he said.

“It’s going to perpetually remain an issue with a limited land base. It’s going to remain at the top of our agenda.”

Zinck, for one, encourages people who might be interested in starting a cooperative to step forward.

“If people get a group together or have a group and bring it forth it’s only going to help with momentum,” she said. 

The experience of those co-op developments that have gone ahead will serve the town well in the future, she added.  

“We have things in place so obviously some things have worked and others didn’t, so it’s not like we’re starting from scratch.”