Sudbury seniors drive boom in multi-residential housing

The city says the aging population is behind a surge in development of multiple-unit housing in and around downtown Sudbury.

City planner Mark Simeoni said that, just five years ago, the city's planning department dealt mostly with single family homes.

Now, about 80 per cen of the time, they now deal with multiple-unit buildings many of which are for seniors.

"People between the ages of 50 and 70 comprise the largest populations in the city of Sudbury as a whole," he said.

"So as this group is aging, they're making different housing choices as they move through their lives."

Simeoni noted one-in-four Sudburians will soon be considered a senior.

By 2021, Sudbury could be considered "the oldest or the second-oldest community in Canada, by percentage, of people over the age of 65," Simeoni said.

Good for business

To meet the need for seniors housing, a company called Autumnwood has already transformed one historic building into seniors' apartments on Ste. Anne Road.

The company is now in the process of turning a neighbouring school into seniors housing. And it recently purchased another building next door for future seniors housing

The chair of Downtown Sudbury, Jeff MacIntyre, said more seniors are welcome in the downtown.

"A 60- year-old today is a pretty active sixty year old, so being able to move to an area that you can enjoy, and spread your wings a little bit is a big asset for a lot of people," he said.

MacIntyre said seniors are also good for downtown businesses.