A Smarter Housing Strategy for Miramichi
Housing in Miramichi has become one of the most talked-about issues in our community, and for good reason. People are feeling the pressure. There are fewer options available, prices are rising, and what is being built does not always reflect what residents actually need.
As I’ve been out speaking with residents throughout this campaign, one thing has become very apparent. There is a significant difference between being able to access housing and being able to move into home ownership. People are finding places to live, but they are struggling to take the next step. That gap is real, and it is growing.
This is why simply calling this a housing shortage misses the point. What we are really facing is a strategy problem. For quite some time now, housing development has been approached passively. Projects come forward, they are reviewed, and decisions are made. What has been missing is a clear, intentional approach to shaping the kind of growth our city actually needs.
As a result, we have gaps that continue to widen. We need more multi-unit housing to support a growing population and workforce, yet the pace and type of development are inconsistent. At the same time, many individuals and families who want to own a home cannot find a realistic path to get there. These are not separate problems. They are directly connected, and they require a coordinated response.
A stronger approach begins with recognizing that the City has a role to play beyond simply approving development. We need to become more active in guiding it. That starts with creating the right conditions for builders to move forward with confidence, particularly when it comes to multi-unit housing. This means looking at practical tools such as targeted tax incentives, more predictable and efficient approval processes, and development fee structures that support density where it makes sense.
However, any incentive offered by the City should be tied to clear outcomes. If public support is being used to enable development, then that development should contribute to the broader needs of the community. This includes considerations like affordability, quality, and long-term sustainability. Growth should not be measured by volume alone, but by how well it serves the people who live here.
At the same time, we need to directly address the gap between renting and owning. Right now, too many people are caught in the middle. They are working, they are contributing to the community, and they are managing their housing costs, but they cannot get over the threshold required to purchase a home.
This is where we need to start exploring practical solutions that help bridge that gap. That could include programs designed to support down payments or offset the upfront costs associated with purchasing a home. It also means working in conjunction with new developments to ensure that some housing opportunities are structured specifically for owner-occupied units, with built-in supports that make ownership more attainable.
If public tools or incentives are used to support development, then those benefits should not stop at the builder level. They should extend to the people who will ultimately live in those homes. This is how we create a system where growth works for more people, not just for the market itself.
Housing decisions have far-reaching impacts. They influence whether young families choose to stay, whether workers can afford to live close to their jobs, and whether our neighbourhoods grow in a balanced and sustainable way. Without a clear strategy, these outcomes are left to chance.
Miramichi has the foundation to grow, but growth without direction will not produce the results we are looking for. We need to move from a reactive approach to one that is intentional, coordinated, and focused on outcomes.
A smarter housing strategy means supporting development while also ensuring that the benefits of that development are shared. It means creating the conditions for builders to succeed, while also opening real pathways for residents to move from renting to owning. Most importantly, it means making decisions today that will shape a stronger, more stable community in the years ahead.
This is the kind of approach that will define the next chapter for Miramichi.
t.g.
