The County of Lambton is gathering feedback on the state of housing locally and what the future needs are.
An online survey has been launched and residents are encouraged to fill it out and share their opinions.
Manager of Housing Services Melisa Johnson said the survey looks at a wide range of housing options.
"From home ownership all the way to rentals and affordable housing," said Johnson. "Part of what we're looking at is what the current state of local housing is in the municipality but also what we would like to see in the future. We're looking to get an idea of what amenities are important to have easy access to. Really this is our opportunity to gather community input to help drive future planning."
Johnson said residents' needs will vary based on the size of the community in which they live and what amenities are already nearby.
She said there's no doubt there's a need for more housing across Lambton County.
"We're hearing that across the board, and across the country," she said. "The last local data that we have, from 2021, indicated that there was a requirement for an additional 2,500 affordable housing units in our community over the next year."
Johnson said they offer rental assistance to about 1,500 households at any given time. There are over 1,000 households on the centralized waiting list, and the need is growing each day.
The county also provides property management services for 830 units owned by the corporation.
The survey results are being collected by Tim Welch Consulting Inc., who was hired by the county.
The consultant will also be interviewing select community organizations, service providers, and stakeholder groups.
The survey can be filled out on the Lambton Online website until Wednesday, December 10.
Lambton County Council will review the survey results in 2026.
