A joint research project between USask and the City of Saskatoon is looking at how changes in the city’s infrastructure will effect the housing landscape.

Dr. Scott Bell, a professor in the Department of Geography and Planning at USask, says that he is interested in finding the housing capacity for neighbourhoods that are going to be along the new Link transit route.

“I’m interested in the capacity of the city of Saskatoon to support the growth that’s anticipated in some of our core neighbourhoods, for lack of a better term. The neighbourhoods that are covered by the bus rapid transit service that’s starting to be rolled out in the next year or two.”

He adds that with the installation of the Link transit system, the density of housing in certain areas of the city will likely increase.

“It will be in the block, or two or three blocks within the route of the bus rapid transit, where we’re going to see the potential for the increased density of housing.”

Dr. Bell says it would be similar to a project taking place on College Drive.

“What we already see on College Drive with a new development at the corner of Munroe and College where two single family homes were removed, now those two homes are being replaced by a multi-unit dwelling.”

Bell says the research will help inform decision-making about future housing projects in Saskatoon.