Keewatin Channel Bridge Weight Restriction

The Keewatin Channel Bridge currently has a vehicle weight limit due to scaffolding adjustments.

Vehicles weighing up to 8,500 pounds, including passengers and cargo, may continue to use the bridge via the signalled alternating traffic in the Eastbound lane.

All commercial vehicles weighing over 8,500 pounds must use the Highway 17A Bypass. 

Emergency vehicles and buses are permitted to cross the bridge with the flow of regular passenger traffic, although no more than one emergency vehicle or bus may be on the bridge at the same time. 

For more information, see the Public Notice.

Housing Plans

The City of Kenora, through the Official Plan and Strategic Plan has identified affordable housing as a key principal and priority in guiding community development now and in the future.

Housing Needs Assessment

The City of Kenora presented to Council at the November 20, 2025 Committee of the Whole meeting  the Housing Needs Assessment Summative Report. The Summative Report provides a precise, local view of Kenora’s housing supply, affordability, and future needs. This data-rich analysis now serves as an evidence base to guide future planning decisions, strengthen funding applications, and drive growth in housing for our community.

In the Spring of 2025, the City hired Tim Welch Consulting Inc., experts in housing research, planning and development, to complete a comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) for Kenora. This HNA included gathering and analyzing demographic data, economic trends, current housing stocks and their characteristics, government policies and incentives, as well as analyzing the data collected from June 2025’s housing need surveys administered by the City. 

Housing Needs Assessment Summative Report Housing Needs Assessment Report

The City has identified 13 initial actions it will undertake to address the housing challenges outlined in the full HNA. These include:

  1. Completing and implementing a new Official Plan and Zoning By-Law. The plan will include all legislated housing related stimulus initiatives. The plan will also take into account housing projections identified in this plan and ensure that appropriate lands are designated for housing across the spectrum.
  2. Undertaking a master infrastructure plan. This plan will incorporate housing projections with available lands and designated lands and develop a ten-year capital plan to facilitate infrastructure extensions to enable housing.
  3. Working closely with the All-Nations Health Care Partners and the Kenora Chief’s Advisory to finalize the plan for the 115-acre development that will include a new hospital, long-term care facility, campus of care and approximately 500 new housing units.
  4. Developing and implementing new community improvement plans that will promote new housing units in designated zones.
  5. Working with the Kenora District Services Board on future projects that support new supportive housing units.
  6. Continuing to advocate to CMHC for better and more accurate market data for Kenora to better reflect the actual demand and rent prices.
  7. Continuing to work closely with developers and CMHC as developers start financing discussions with CMHC with the goal of accelerating new unit construction in Kenora.
  8. Continuing to apply for funding from various levels of government in support of cost sharing infrastructure extensions, required upgrades to sewer and water plants and other activities that enable housing in Kenora.
  9. Increasing efficiency to accelerate processes around planning and building to enable more units faster.
  10. Examining modular building practices to reduce affordability challenges for starter homes.
  11. Creating and implementing planning and development guidelines.
  12. Making municipal lands available for housing.
  13. Hosting housing forums to bring together potential unit owners with developers that build across the spectrum.

The City will strive to monitor and report on these actions’ outcomes. In future HNA revisions (required every 5 years).

Enabling Affordable Housing Action Plan

The Enabling Affordable Housing Action Plan outlines the following actions and sets out a completion timeline for each action.

The following financial incentives were identified:

  • incentivize new rental housing construction by maintaining a new multi-residential tax rate for residential properties
  • create arrangements to provide affordable housing through Municipal Housing Capital Facilities Agreements
  • enhance financial incentives available for affordable housing and energy efficiency in the City's Community Improvement Plans

The following actions related to policies and procedures were identified:

  • complete a comprehensive review of vacant lands and conduct a growth analysis
  • establish a policy to increase the utilization of municipal lands for affordable housing where appropriate
  • establish a Local Improvement Charge procedure to potentially support developers that seek to address housing needs in the community
  • develop affordable housing using a Municipal Service Corporation

The following regulatory actions were identified:

  • review regulations and by-laws to identify unnecessary barriers to the creation of affordable housing
  • create a Development Permit System to streamline applications to minimize cost and time for potential housing developers and staff

We identified the following communication and education actions:

  • work with the Kenora District Services Board as Service Manager on the development of an incentive toolkit and promote any affordable housing programs provided by all levels of government
  • research innovative housing with partners to create a resource development of affordable housing
  • initiate or support a housing forum in which projects and available incentives are showcased alongside networking opportunities among stakeholders

The following advocacy actions were identified:

  • incorporate issues related to affordable housing into corporate advocacy efforts

Housing reports

The following housing studies and reports were used to inform the Enabling Affordable Housing Action Plan:

Why housing is important

According to a 2018 election survey, the following statistics and facts were identified based on housing:

  • 220 people were identified as homeless
  • More people are using the emergency shelter as a primary residence
  • Business are dissatisfied with housing availability for workers
  • Seniors are the fastest growing demographic that are challenged looking for suitable housing

Our commitment

We believe that every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to occupancy of accommodation without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status, disability or the receipt of public assistance. - Human Rights Commission

Contact Us

City of Kenora
1 Main Street South
Kenora ON P9N3X2

Phone: 807-467-2000
After hours: 807-467-2080

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday to Friday
Closed on Holidays

 

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