Grey County Council has approved funding to advance preliminary site work on two county-owned properties in Markdale and Durham, steps aimed at supporting future residential development.
The council-approved plan includes $130,000 in funding from the One-Time Funding Reserve in the proposed 2026 budget.
The money will be used for select site preparation and “derisking” activities, such as environmental and archaeological assessments, engineering reviews, and infrastructure planning.
County staff say these steps are intended to provide greater certainty about the housing potential of the lands. The work is expected to support any future plans, whether that’s selling, leasing, partnering, or developing housing directly on the sites.
Senior Policy Planner Liz Buckton said the Markdale site, a 0.7-hectare parcel, has a history of railway use, and the funding will help clarify the conditions of the property.
"With respect to the Markdale site, that would include an archaeological assessment, an environmental assessment, filing of a record of site condition, and some servicing work," she said.
In Durham, the county will continue studies on a larger 8.5-hectare property.
"With respect to the Durham site, we would be looking there for some funding to support us in identifying stormwater management sizing," she continued. "We understand there will be a fairly large stormwater facility required on that land, and that's a bit of a challenge in terms of identifying the potential for those lands just in relation to the footprint that the facility might take up."
Early estimates suggest the Durham site could accommodate more than 200 housing units, while between 40 and 60 units are possible in Markdale.
Staff engaged with both private and non-profit developers during a sector outreach in August 2025. Feedback emphasized the importance of ready-to-develop sites, particularly for non-profit partners who face tight financial constraints. Ensuring the sites are “shovel-ready” is seen as key to attracting partners and enabling more deeply affordable housing.
County planners stressed that the investigations do not commit the County to develop or sell the lands, but will create flexibility for future housing projects. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to leverage surplus public lands to address affordable housing needs in Grey County, especially for low and moderate-income households.
