HousingAdvancing the delivery of affordable housing

Toronto City Council recently adopted a new housing plan that provides a roadmap to strengthen Toronto’s housing system by building more homes, increasing housing affordability and establishing a stronger role for government in addressing the housing crisis by increasing public and non-profit ownership of housing. 

Working with our City partners, we’re developing a framework in response to City Council’s desire to deliver 25,000 new rent-controlled homes by increasing the affordable housing target by a minimum of 7,500 affordable homes and adding a new target for 17,500 rent-controlled homes.

 In addition to this, we are collaborating with our City partners to advance City Council's vision to urgently build more affordable housing on City-owned lands through the steps outlined in the recent report about the Generational Transformation of Toronto’s Housing System and initiatives like Housing Now, the Modular Housing Initiative, and the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) program. 

 CreateTO has also identified key opportunities to deliver affordable housing on other City-owned sites including 260 Adelaide St. West and several of the ModernTO properties.

Generational Transformation of Toronto’s Housing System

In November 2023, Toronto City Council adopted a report outlining several key initiatives and actions focused on shifting and strengthening Toronto’s housing system to better address the housing needs of a range of households, while creating more equitable, inclusive and sustainable communities. CreateTO is working with our City partners to undertake the actions necessary to realize this systemic shift to advance a City-led development model and build more homes faster.

Housing Now

Adopted by Toronto City Council in 2019, the Housing Now Initiative is investing in City-owned lands across Toronto for the development of affordable housing within mixed-income, mixed-use, transit-oriented communities where every individual has the chance to thrive. 

Housing Now will create a mix of affordable rental, market rental and ownership housing options to serve Toronto residents. The new affordable rental homes will remain  so for 99 years, providing quality affordable housing for future generations. The affordable homes will be accessible to households earning up to $68,000 per year.

Modular Housing

CreateTO is a partner in delivering the Modular Housing Initiative – part of the City’s HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan and an innovative and cost-effective way to build small-scale infill housing. This will provide a rapid, dignified response to connect people experiencing homelessness with homes and the appropriate supports to help them achieve housing stability.

Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON)

The primary focus of the EHON initiative, including the Beaches-East York Pilot Project on Amroth Avenue, is the expansion of market housing options, in a range of formats, within the City’s neighbourhoods. While this work will not necessarily result in the creation of affordable housing supply, it will result in a more diverse range of housing forms to support residents with a much broader range of incomes and household compositions at various stages of life.

In July 2022, City Council directed the Housing Secretariat to establish a Centralized Affordable Rental Housing Access System, under which all affordable homes will be made available. The system will help people find and apply for available affordable housing, and help affordable housing providers to advertise available homes and find tenants.