Report shows historic decline in Uxbridge home building

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

UXBRIDGE: A recent report shows, housing growth is at a near-historic low in Uxbridge Township.

At council’s meeting, on the morning of Monday, February 5th, a report from, Regional Councillor, Bruce Garrod was presented during the portion of the meeting dedicated to the planning and economic development committee, providing an outline for historic and current growth within the township, as well as a forecast until 2026 for future growth trends.

The report from Councillor Garrod comes on the heels of a recent report, from the Region of Durham, which showed, household growth increased by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.23 percent, between December 2018 and May 2023, for the region. By contrast, the report noted, the CAGR for Uxbridge was only 0.46 per cent for the same period.

“Sometimes the perception, of growth versus the reality, varies,” commented Councillor Garrod. “So, I did a little homework, to see what it had been in the past and what it’s at now, using the same source data, to give a little more detail than the report from our friends at the Region.”

In his report, Councillor Garrod detailed the growth which occurred in each term of council, dating back to 2000. This showed, indeed, current growth trends are down significantly, compared to the early-2000s, in Uxbridge Township.

According to the report, there have been three terms of council over the past 24 years which have seen an average growth of more than 100 homes per year. Between 2014 and 2018, the township added 405 new homes, for an average of 101 per year, with a CAGR of 1.3 percent. For the years 2006 to 2010, the township grew by 640 homes, for an average of 160 per year, with a CAGR of 2.3 percent. The largest “building boom” in Uxbridge took place between 2003 and 2006, with 500 homes added over the three years, for an average of approximately 166 every year and a high-water CAGR of 2.6 percent.

However, the current numbers pale in comparison. For the most recent council term, from 2018 to 2022, growth has slowed to a total of 150 homes, or 37 per year, and a CAGR of less than 0.5 percent. Those numbers are anticipated to continue in the present term of council, until 2026, with growth forecasted at just 155 new homes over that period, an average of 39 per year.