To support the needs of the community across the housing continuum, we have acquired properties for the purpose of affordable, transitional, and supportive housing for several years. As outlined in the City’s 2023-26 Strategic Priorities, Council has provided specific direction to staff to diversify emergency shelter and transitional/supportive housing across a broader geography to ensure that the concentration of housing services does not further concentrate and thereby stigmatize vulnerable populations.
Significant progress has been made in our local emergency housing responses, with five new services opening over a six months period from Q4 of 2025 to Q1 of 2026. We are fortunate to have strong community partners and agencies to support successful housing programs and projects.
There are many factors impacting how information on housing and homelessness projects can be shared with community, and when that information can be shared. These practices follow the Municipal Act 2001, a number of different City policies, and are based in a human rights based approach to housing and related services to for vulnerable residents.
On Feb. 3, 2026, Council directed us to review our current public consultation and engagement practices related to new and existing supportive housing, and to bring forward recommendations to improve these processes. As we develop recommendations for how we engage we are consulting with housing and homelessness service providers, individuals with lived experience, and all interested community members, we want to make sure that any enhanced approaches meet the needs of the community. Feedback will be included in our report to Council and taken into consideration for future enhancements to these processes.
Get involved
Complete a short survey by Sept. 15 to tell us how you want to receive information from us, ways that you would like to be engaged, and things that we can do to help make engagement easier and more accessible.
Come to a drop-in information session or visit us at an informal pop-up event throughout the fall
Read about related projects and policies that affect how decisions related to housing are made
Send us an email with any other suggestions you may have specific to housing solutions consultation
To support the needs of the community across the housing continuum, we have acquired properties for the purpose of affordable, transitional, and supportive housing for several years. As outlined in the City’s 2023-26 Strategic Priorities, Council has provided specific direction to staff to diversify emergency shelter and transitional/supportive housing across a broader geography to ensure that the concentration of housing services does not further concentrate and thereby stigmatize vulnerable populations.
Significant progress has been made in our local emergency housing responses, with five new services opening over a six months period from Q4 of 2025 to Q1 of 2026. We are fortunate to have strong community partners and agencies to support successful housing programs and projects.
There are many factors impacting how information on housing and homelessness projects can be shared with community, and when that information can be shared. These practices follow the Municipal Act 2001, a number of different City policies, and are based in a human rights based approach to housing and related services to for vulnerable residents.
On Feb. 3, 2026, Council directed us to review our current public consultation and engagement practices related to new and existing supportive housing, and to bring forward recommendations to improve these processes. As we develop recommendations for how we engage we are consulting with housing and homelessness service providers, individuals with lived experience, and all interested community members, we want to make sure that any enhanced approaches meet the needs of the community. Feedback will be included in our report to Council and taken into consideration for future enhancements to these processes.
Get involved
Complete a short survey by Sept. 15 to tell us how you want to receive information from us, ways that you would like to be engaged, and things that we can do to help make engagement easier and more accessible.
Come to a drop-in information session or visit us at an informal pop-up event throughout the fall
Read about related projects and policies that affect how decisions related to housing are made
Send us an email with any other suggestions you may have specific to housing solutions consultation
On Feb. 3 2026 Coucnil approved a motion directing staff:
"to review current public consultation and engagement practices related to both new and existing supportive and emergency housing solutions, including shelters currently in operation and those undergoing transition or wind-down, with a specific focus on communications and engagement with near neighbours; and
That staff be directed to bring forward recommendations to Council by July 2026 on improvements to these processes that are consistent with a human rights based approach to housing and related services for vulnerable residents, including but not limited to consideration of the timing and methods of information sharing with near neighbours; the scale and format of engagement meetings; confirmation of the role of the site operators in these engagements, and the processes for receiving, responding to, and reporting back on community concerns."
Findings & Recommendations
Check out the findings and recommendations based on sector research, existing policies and procedures and best practices.
Strengthened Engagement Opportunities
Following the Motion from Council on Feb. 3, staff have continued to strengthen how engagement opportunities are communicated and how input is acknowledged and used. This work included:
meeting with near-neighbours where supportive housing properties were purchased,
hosting informational webinars about housing solutions
recruiting for community liaison committees (CLCs) and
working with housing operators to establishcommunications and feedback channels with residents, as well as
Developing standardized communications materials operators can share with near-neighbours.
Key Findings from Research on Canadian Municipalities' Practices
Most municipalities have a Public Engagement Framework, however none of the frameworks include guidance that is specific to seeking feedback on housing solutions.
The City of Kingston will be the first known municipality to develop a specific framework for engagement on housing solutions
Engagement on housing among participating municipalities is most often aligned at the Consult (70%) level of the spectrum. Occasionally, housing engagements fall under Collaborate (20%) and Inform (10%).
Engagement methods were mixed. Most municipalities use online surveys (90%) and large-scale, in-person open houses (90%).
90% of respondents say community concerns are received and responded to by Municipal Housing staff. Fifty per cent say concerns are managed through public engagement processes and platforms. Twenty per cent centralize concerns through Contact Centre/311 system and 10% say Mayor and Council receive and respond to many concerns.
Respondents highlighted several recurring and interconnected challenges municipalities face when engaging the public on housing initiatives, including:
Balancing community expectations with urgent housing needs
The complexity of housing systems and responsibilities
Limited influence of public feedback regarding the location of housing solutions
Neighbourhood resistance to change
Polarization, misinformation stigma toward people experiencing homelessness.
Most municipalities that took part in the scan emphasized proactive, transparent and frequent communication, aiming to inform communities early and manage expectations rather than solicit feedback that cannot shape outcomes such as site selection due to the constaints listed above.
Enhancement Recommendations
Continued use of a range of communication methods to inform residents about housing solutions, including:
social media,
in-person pop-ups,
short-form video on the City website,
Get Involved Kingston,
news releases,
posters,
Curbex (roadside) signs and other forms of traditional communications.
Ongoing communications to raise awareness of how to sign up and receive news from the City and learn about new public engagement opportunities.
Avoiding the announcement of new housing solutions around statutory holidays or corporate closures so that staff can respond to community concerns and questions in a timely manner.
Investing in modest paid advertising campaigns to increase the reach and awareness of residents affected by a housing solution in their neighbourhoods:
Roadside or pedestrian signage
Canada Post Neighbourhood Mail or Letter Mail
Targeted social media advertising
Overview
On Feb. 3 2026 Coucnil approved a motion directing staff:
"to review current public consultation and engagement practices related to both new and existing supportive and emergency housing solutions, including shelters currently in operation and those undergoing transition or wind-down, with a specific focus on communications and engagement with near neighbours; and
That staff be directed to bring forward recommendations to Council by July 2026 on improvements to these processes that are consistent with a human rights based approach to housing and related services for vulnerable residents, including but not limited to consideration of the timing and methods of information sharing with near neighbours; the scale and format of engagement meetings; confirmation of the role of the site operators in these engagements, and the processes for receiving, responding to, and reporting back on community concerns."
Findings & Recommendations
Check out the findings and recommendations based on sector research, existing policies and procedures and best practices.
Strengthened Engagement Opportunities
Following the Motion from Council on Feb. 3, staff have continued to strengthen how engagement opportunities are communicated and how input is acknowledged and used. This work included:
meeting with near-neighbours where supportive housing properties were purchased,
hosting informational webinars about housing solutions
recruiting for community liaison committees (CLCs) and
working with housing operators to establishcommunications and feedback channels with residents, as well as
Developing standardized communications materials operators can share with near-neighbours.
Key Findings from Research on Canadian Municipalities' Practices
Most municipalities have a Public Engagement Framework, however none of the frameworks include guidance that is specific to seeking feedback on housing solutions.
The City of Kingston will be the first known municipality to develop a specific framework for engagement on housing solutions
Engagement on housing among participating municipalities is most often aligned at the Consult (70%) level of the spectrum. Occasionally, housing engagements fall under Collaborate (20%) and Inform (10%).
Engagement methods were mixed. Most municipalities use online surveys (90%) and large-scale, in-person open houses (90%).
90% of respondents say community concerns are received and responded to by Municipal Housing staff. Fifty per cent say concerns are managed through public engagement processes and platforms. Twenty per cent centralize concerns through Contact Centre/311 system and 10% say Mayor and Council receive and respond to many concerns.
Respondents highlighted several recurring and interconnected challenges municipalities face when engaging the public on housing initiatives, including:
Balancing community expectations with urgent housing needs
The complexity of housing systems and responsibilities
Limited influence of public feedback regarding the location of housing solutions
Neighbourhood resistance to change
Polarization, misinformation stigma toward people experiencing homelessness.
Most municipalities that took part in the scan emphasized proactive, transparent and frequent communication, aiming to inform communities early and manage expectations rather than solicit feedback that cannot shape outcomes such as site selection due to the constaints listed above.
Enhancement Recommendations
Continued use of a range of communication methods to inform residents about housing solutions, including:
social media,
in-person pop-ups,
short-form video on the City website,
Get Involved Kingston,
news releases,
posters,
Curbex (roadside) signs and other forms of traditional communications.
Ongoing communications to raise awareness of how to sign up and receive news from the City and learn about new public engagement opportunities.
Avoiding the announcement of new housing solutions around statutory holidays or corporate closures so that staff can respond to community concerns and questions in a timely manner.
Investing in modest paid advertising campaigns to increase the reach and awareness of residents affected by a housing solution in their neighbourhoods:
We use the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation to let you know how feedback on a project will be used. Here's how we are seeking and using your feedback on this project.
Inform: We will keep you informed by providing balanced and objective information to assist you in understanding the problem, alternatives, opportunities and/or solutions.
Consult: We will keep you informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and aspirations, and provide feedback on how public input influenced the decision.
