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News from Toronto Community Housing | March 2017

Federal government to invest $11.2 billion over 11 years for affordable housing

Toronto Community Housing welcomes the federal government’s commitment to invest more than $11 billion in affordable housing over the next 11 years, as announced in the 2017 Federal Budget on March 22. This investment includes $5 billion to implement a new National Housing Fund and $3.2 billion in partnership with the provinces for social housing renovations and repairs, construction of new affordable housing, and rent subsidies. The federal government also committed to preserving baseline funding for expiring federal operating agreements, which is an estimated $4.8 billion. We are working with City of Toronto staff to assess the possible impacts of the federal investments on Toronto Community Housing’s 2018 budget, and in particular how we can find ways to continue our 10-year capital repair program in support of our tenants.

Record levels of capital repairs

Toronto Community Housing completed nearly $240 million worth of capital repair projects from our $250 million budget in 2016, with the balance committed and underway. We are investing a further $250 million for capital repairs in 2017. These record levels of capital repairs are helping us to bring as many of our buildings back to fair condition as possible. For example, in 2016 we refurbished or replaced:

40 aging elevators in 24 buildings (bringing our total to 82 new or refurbished elevators in 48 buildings since 2013)
900,000 square feet of roofing for 43 buildings (bringing our total to 2.3 million square feet of roofing in 341 buildings since 2013)
165 boilers and furnaces in 37 buildings (bringing our total to 379 boilers and furnaces in 229 buildings since 2013)

As of the end of February 2017, we have completed nearly 42,000 capital repair projects over the first four years of our 10-year, $2.6 billion capital repair plan. But we still need more financial support to complete our 10-year plan to bring all our buildings to an acceptable standard. With the City of Toronto, we continue to call on the federal and provincial governments to invest in our plan.

Read more about the 10-year capital repair plan.

Tenant Charter: one step closer

The Resident Services Committee of Toronto Community Housing’s Board of Directors approved the draft Tenant Charter on March 17. The approval marks an important milestone in developing, for the first time, a charter that clearly communicates Toronto Community Housing’s service commitments and accountabilities. Staff have engaged with tenants through surveys, consultations and a tenant advisory committee to help develop the draft charter, which will now go to the full Board for final approval.

Meet the Tenants First Resident Advisory Panel members

Thirteen Toronto Community Housing tenants from across the city were selected to be part of the City of Toronto’s Tenants First Resident Advisory Panel. The panel will provide advice to the City’s project team on how key areas of the implementation plan will impact tenants and living conditions in Toronto Community Housing. City staff and the advisory panel members will hold meetings later this spring to seek broader input from tenants.

City staff plan to bring the phase one Tenants First Implementation Plan to the City Executive Committee in June. Visit the City's website to read more about the Tenants First report.

Read the Tenants First Resident Advisory Panel member profiles.

Help create an age-friendly Toronto

The City of Toronto wants your opinion on the development of the next Toronto Seniors Strategy. The City has created a survey to help develop a strategic plan to support seniors in staying active, healthy and engaged in their communities. The survey is open until Saturday, April 15, 2017 and is available in 10 languages.

Take the survey.

Did you know?

More than 25 per cent of tenants living in Toronto Community Housing are seniors (59 years and older). Toronto Community Housing partners with community groups and local agencies to help meet seniors’ needs and interests.

In 2016, Toronto Community Housing:

Visit the seniors’ services and support page on our website to learn more about supports and services available to seniors.

Do you know a youth looking for a job opportunity?

Do you know someone who has passion to learn more about social housing? Youth who are currently enrolled in vocational training or postsecondary education or recent graduates can now apply for the Youth Internship Program. These 12-week, paid internships start in June and will give youth an opportunity to secure professional, hands-on experience in the social housing sector. Here is what the 2016 interns thought about the program.

Share this opportunity with youth who may be interested. Interested youth should apply online.

Applications are due by Wednesday, April 5, 2017.

Learn more about the Youth Internship Program.

Upcoming events

April 1, 5: Regent Park Tenant Elections
April 6: Governance, Communications, Human Resources and Compensation Committee Meeting
April 12: Investing in Our Diversity Scholarship sponsors breakfast
April 14: Offices are closed for Good Friday
April 17: Offices are closed for Easter Monday
April 20: Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee meeting
April 25: Board meeting

Visit our calendar for more information about upcoming events, programs and meetings.