Toronto outlines work plan in bid to increase city’s housing

Globalnews.ca
March 15, 2023
Hannah Jackson

The City of Toronto is seeking to “advance” its commitment to increase its housing stock by releasing a new work plan.

On Tuesday, the city released a work plan for the Housing Action Plan 2022-2026 which it says “identifies a strong ‘made-in-Toronto’ multi-pronged and transparent approach to increasing housing supply, housing choice and affordability for current and future residents.”

The city said the plan seeks to increase housing supply to “achieve or exceed” the province’s housing target of 285,000 new homes in Toronto by 2031.

Later this month, the city’s executive committee will consider a staff report recommending Housing Action Plan priorities for the 2022 to 2026 council term.

“The report includes aggressive timelines for approving and implementing a wide range of actions, including 37 for this year, and policies and programs to increase the housing supply within complete, inclusive and sustainable communities with the critical infrastructure to support growth,” the city said in a release, adding that the adoption of the report is “within executive committee’s authority.”

According to the city, the plan outlines “specific actions” staff will focus on this year and over the next three which includes removing policy and zoning barriers to building housing, leveraging public lands to increase housing supply and preserving existing rental homes.

It also said staff will focus on supporting the development of a range of purpose-built rental homes, support the community sector to modernize and “grow their stock.”

“The report features an ambitious plan to support students, newcomers, low- and moderate-income households, renters, equity-deserving communities and individuals and families looking for more housing options across Toronto,” the city said in a news release.

Toronto’s Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie said Toronto is a “great city.”

“People want to live here and people want to make sure their families can continue to live here,” she said in a statement. “Housing is a key priority for the City, and I intend to continue to advance this work to ensure that we are doing everything we can to provide people with more homes, more options for homes in neighbourhoods, and more affordable homes.”

McKelvie said the city is “committed to working with all partners to meet or exceed a target of 285,000 homes over the next ten years.”

“Through the Housing Action Plan, we will be able to increase supply, choice and affordability of housing in all corners of our city,” she said.

The city said the report also highlights “several key deliverables” for March and April.

These include a recommendation to enable as-of-right zoning for multiplexes in all neighbourhoods across the city, a publicly accessible data dashboard, and a “clear and cohesive approach to meeting the Province of Ontario’s housing pledge for 285,000 homes in Toronto by 2031.”

Councillor Brad Bradford, who chairs the city’s planning and housing committee said the action plan will “take immediate action to deliver more housing supply, choice and affordability for current and future residents of Toronto.”

“We are working hard to respond to the urgent need for housing solutions across the housing continuum, and this Plan moves us full speed ahead on initiatives and actions to be taken during this term of Council, including aggressive actions to be advanced this year,” he said in a statement. “We aren’t waiting. We are moving ahead right now.”