Toronto council approves plan to create 40,000 affordable homes

Thestar.com
December 18, 2019
Francine Kopun

Toronto city council approved a complex housing plan on Tuesday, aimed at providing more and better shelter for residents of all ages and at different rungs of the income ladder, including the homeless, young people looking for their first apartment and seniors.

“It’s going to require a very determined council ... in terms of producing what is being promised,” said Bob Rose, a Toronto housing advocate, although he believes the plan is a step in the right direction.

Rose pointed out that fulfilling the plan to create 40,000 more affordable housing units -- which also includes plans for shelters and rental housing, and measures to help seniors remain in their homes -- depends in part on contributions from the federal and provincial governments, which have not been secured.

The city is contributing $8.5 billion in the form of incentives and money. Roughly $15 billion is needed from the two other levels of government.

The only councillor to vote against the plan was Coun. Stephen Holyday (Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre), who pointed out that it is a long-term commitment that might prove difficult to keep.

Advocates have been calling on council to declare a state of emergency over the housing situation, in a city where an estimated 10,000 people sleep in the open and in shelters at night. A successful motion by Coun. Ana Bailao (Ward 9 Davenport) stopped short of that, while recognizing that homelessness in Toronto “is an ongoing critical and emergency issue requiring the provincial and federal governments to commit on an expedited basis to build on the initiatives the city has taken to date.”

The 10-year HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan is one of Mayor John Tory’s signature commitments.

He chastised those who said or implied that the plan is not aggressive enough.