What is Missing Middle Housing, and how could it ease Sarnia’s housing crisis?

Missing Middle Housing, which includes duplexes, fourplexes, and other compact housing options, offers a way to create affordable, community-focused homes in Sarnia’s existing neighborhoods. Could this innovative approach help address the city’s pressing housing crisis?

As communities across Canada grapple with rising housing costs, Sarnia faces its own housing challenges. Ranked 95th out of 100 in housing starts, the city is confronting an urgent housing crisis characterized by growing affordability issues, homelessness, and encampments. The need for bold, innovative solutions has never been clearer, and one concept stands out as particularly promising: Missing Middle Housing.

Missing Middle Housing refers to a range of building types that blend seamlessly into existing neighborhoods while offering more diverse housing options. Examples include duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, courtyard buildings, cottage courts, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), often referred to as “granny flats.”