The Town of Olds and at least one local developer are working on providing affordable housing for the expected influx of 1,000 to 1,500 marijuana production plant workers over the next few years.
Their solution? Construct more apartment buildings.
Josh Remai, president of Spanwest Building Corporation, says his firm is looking at constructing apartments in Chinook Estates, the former Olds High School track and field land behind Grouchy Daddy's.
And a proposal for development of Miller Meadows in the south end of town off 57th Avenue, also includes provision for apartments.
During an interview with the Albertan Mayor Mike Muzychka agreed many -- if not most -- of those hired by the marijuana/cannabis production industry won't be making the kind of wages necessary to be able to buy homes, so they'll likely be renting -- at least at first.
As a result, Muzychka says, "any rental opportunities we can get in Olds we're looking hard and fast at."
But he says those opportunities have to be examined carefully.
He noted council recently turned down a proposal for fourplexes in East Olds, due to concerns about parking.
"We've got to balance the need for afford -- attainable housing. Yes, attainable housing is the right word -- we've got to balance that need with the parking and so forth, especially with those inner-city developments like this one and the one in East Olds," he says.
Remai says he saw the need for more apartments, partly because of the anticipated influx of jobs, but also in the course of constructing a condo building in Chinook Estates.
"Over the course of the build here, we have rented a number of apartments and residences for some of the people who have come from out of town. Our site foreman lived here for a year and whatnot. So we rented him a place," Remai said.
"And I think there's actually quite a lack of good quality, affordable rental housing in Olds now. So I think that that's only going to squeeze things more as more people move into Olds to fill these types of positions.
"They may not be in a position to buy a house right away and they're going to have to find somewhere to live, and I think it's going to become challenging in the town," he added.
