Moosomin close to hitting housing goal after offering $30K incentive to builders

An official with a town in southeastern Saskatchewan says its plan to offer $30,000 cheques to anyone building homes in the community is paying off.

Moosomin, about 210 kilometres as the crow flies east of Regina, announced the cash initiative in August to attract development to the community, which is in desperate need of housing.

Town economic development officer Casey McCormac says the program has resulted in a flurry of construction, including two 12-unit apartment complexes and a six-unit building. Building permits have also been issued for two houses and a basement suite.

"I think it's really cool," McCormac said.

"It definitely shows that Moosomin was in need of this grant to help accelerate our housing needs, and it shows that people want to move to Moosomin and that there is a shortage of housing."

Moosomin received $1 million from the federal government's housing accelerator fund for its program. The town gives builders $30,000 for the first new unit, plus $8,000 per additional unit for multi-unit housing on the same property. Builders receive the money once occupancy permits are issued.

Construction has started on the homes, but no one has moved in yet.

McCormac said the federal funding program was flexible and the town wanted to try something different.

"We thought it was a good incentive and were hoping it would make headlines, which it obviously did," she said.

"We had to hit three units in order to continue our funding, and we have building permits for 33."

Moosomin Mayor Murray Gray told CBC's The 306 that the town's goal for now is 43 homes — meaning there are only 10 spots left for people to lay claim to.

"I think in the next couple of months you'll find that we will be out of spots," said Gray.

His advice for other towns and cities struggling with building enough housing is to "think outside the box."

"I just think that the same old, same old is not going to attract developers, especially."