Affordable housing to be focus of Tory’s re-election bid
Better co-ordination needed among city agencies, mayor says
Mayor John Tory is pledging to tackle Toronto’s housing affordability challenge as the centrepiece of a second term in office if he is re-elected this fall.
Tory is promising to establish a city hall standing committee on housing that will have centralized responsibility for a broad range of housing issues, from development and affordable housing to the shelter system.
In a campaign-style speech on Monday to the Scarborough Business Association, a copy of which was obtained by the Star, the mayor will outline plans to increase Toronto’s affordable housing targets, particularly rental housing.
Although the city has expanded its shelter system, the beds are increasingly being used by residents who simply can’t find an affordable place to live, says Tory.
“There are many people in Toronto … whose children can’t afford to rent an apartment. And there are young families who have to consider moving outside of Toronto to be able to afford the lives they want to have,” he says.
In his speech, Tory also promises to restructure city staff to ensure there’s a centralized, coordinated approach among the various divisions that develop and administer housing, including agencies such as Toronto Community Housing, the Affordable Housing Office, CreateTO, Real Estate Services and the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration.
“Right now, different elements of our housing responsibilities reside in different departments and there is not enough centralized thinking, collaboration or co-ordinated policy development,” says the mayor.
CreateTO, the city’s new real estate agency that combines 24 separate property departments, will be empowered to strategically identify sites and purchase properties for affordable housing development with seed money from the city to make it happen, he says.
Tory stresses that he’s advocating for more co-ordination, not more staff, to boost the city’s housing efforts.
His speech also makes a direct appeal to Scarborough voters. Citing plans for the controversial one-stop subway, Tory says he wants to bring more jobs to the Scarborough Town Centre employment hub.
He says development proposals are already underway as a result of the single-stop extension of the Bloor-Danforth line, referring specifically to a proposal from Fieldgate Homes.
It wants to build 2,245 residential units in five highrises, two midrise buildings and townhouses on 2.7 hectares along Progress Ave., east of the Town Centre.
Tory says city staff have already been asked to look at the cost benefits of relocating some civic employees to city properties in Scarborough, “freeing up the significant quantity of expensive space we lease downtown.”
Deputy Mayor Ana Bailao, Toronto’s housing advocate, praised Tory’s “holistic and coordinated” approach.
“As we get ready to develop the next 10-year housing plan it is essential that we leverage strategic investments such as transit to create smart growth and affordability in our city,” she said in a statement.
Tory’s speech notes that Toronto’s transit plans, including the Scarborough subway extension, have been endorsed by council 11 times. But the mayor’s remarks come five days after city Councillor Josh Matlow called for a public inquiry into the $3.35billion plan that would take the subway from Kennedy station to Scarborough Town Centre.
Matlow, who prefers a previous plan to build a seven-stop light rail line in Scarborough, referred to Toronto’s transit planning as “dysfunctional.”