big issues:housing
The Know Your Vote T.O. "Big Issues" primers are meant to be starting points for readers to continue their own learning and investigation. Note: Sources include City of Toronto materials, Ontario legislation, and publicly available educational and media resources.
Candidate answers
councillor
Nathen Masri
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Toronto must build faster and protect the people already housed. I’ll challenge abusive AGI rent increases, push approvals from years toward months, and make City Hall a partner—not an obstacle—to building. We need every tool: modular homes, multiplexes, apartments, co-ops, affordable and supportive housing, plus smarter use of City land. My Compassion with Accountability plan will modernize shelters to be deemed as an genuine alternative by Ontario courts and create real pathways from homelessness to housing.
councillor
Hard Parmar
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. I would prioritize faster housing approvals, more affordable and rental homes, and better use of City-owned land. We must also protect existing affordable housing, support tenants facing eviction, and help people experiencing homelessness find stable housing. New developments should include proper transit, infrastructure, and community services. We need to build communities, not just buildings.
councillor
Chloe Brown
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize establishing more rent-to-own programs, mandating 30% RGI units for people with disabilities and seniors, build more housing cooperatives and family-sized units, improve the quality of mid-rise housing units above strip plazas for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), increase RentSafeTO's Property Standards Orders (PSOs) enforcement on bad landlords and managers, and improve system navigation with tenant advocacy groups to close gaps between eviction prevention programs and tenants' wellbeing.
councillor
Kristian Santos
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Protecting the rental housing we already have and cracking down on illegal renovictions and neglectful landlords. Making sure new development in our area includes real affordable units that local people can actually qualify for not just units that look good on paper. Speeding up repairs and better management in existing Toronto Community Housing buildings so people aren’t left waiting years for basic fixes.
councillor
Ian Cunningham
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?The housing crisis is a highly visible issue in Spadina-Fort York. While there is no one size fits all solution, I support more multi-unit family housing where opportunities exist while maintaining cultural and historic integrity of the neighborhood. Partnering with other levels of government to create more social housing through strategic targeted investments with measurable outcomes and accountability. Finally, protecting renters to ensure that evictions are only executed due to legitimate claims and not for reasons related to financial gain.
councillor
Paul Nash
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I'll speed up the construction of affordable and community housing for low-income households. I'll also expand and accelerate partnerships with the provincial and federal governments to increase affordable housing development. For marginalized residents experiencing housing instability, I'll explore new strategies, in collaboration with all three levels of government, to create more affordable and supportive long-term housing solutions.
councillor
Bashar Kassir
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Toronto needs more affordable housing, but affordability is about more than building units. Homes should be places to live first, not simply investment vehicles. I would support responsible growth that adds housing while ensuring infrastructure and public services keep pace. For those experiencing homelessness, the priority should be stable, long-term housing with dignity, supported by appropriate mental-health and other services. The goal should be to help people find and keep a secure home—not simply move them from one place to another.
councillor
Ausma Malik
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?My priority is to support people at all points in their housing journey, by making sure people living outside have referrals to shelter and services to apply for affordable housing, and rent supports to keep people housed. I’ll continue my record of building affordable and supportive housing on City lands across our downtown communities. And the City can’t do it alone. We need to keep partnering with other levels of government to build and with non-profits and land trusts to preserve private affordable rental through the MURA program.
councillor
Husain Neemuchwala
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Housing is the foundation of stability, dignity and opportunity. I would help renters who are going through a crisis by supporting the creation and management of a rent bank, accelerate affordable and supportive housing, and use City-owned land and partnerships to get homes built faster. For people experiencing homelessness, I would prioritize pathways into permanent housing with ongoing support. By listening with empathy and setting measurable goals, I would help more residents find a home, keep it and feel secure in their community.
councillor
Xue Ding
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?We will change the zoning, encourage the conversion of homes into multiplex homes and other zoning changes, and raise the vacancy tax—using this part of the tax revenue to address housing issues—while also communicating with higher levels of government to secure additional funding for housing subsidies.
councillor
Andi Hoàng-Lefranc
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Homes are meant to be lived in and not treated as part of an investment portfolio. To address the City's housing challenges, I would prioritise raising the vacant home tax to 5% and applying it to vacant units in multi-residential apartments. The revenue collected from this increase should be used to bolster the City's Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition program to better support the acquisition, renovation, and refinancing of rental homes by non-profit housing providers, including Indigenous housing providers, co-ops, and community land trusts.
councillor
Paul Viret
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?First and foremost, we need houses, apartments and rental units and we need them yesterday. We don't have time to wait for another condo to take a decade to build, we need small to mid-sized, Mass Timber apartments. These are 20 to 50 units but not tall enough to ruin the city scape around the neighbourhoods they're built in and can go from ground breaking to finished in just a few years. We must also expand the city's existing programs like the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) Program to secure properties before private developers do
councillor
Mike Layton
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?City should grow its capacity to build affordable and supportive, eco-friendly, rent-controlled housing on City-owned lands as quickly as possible to address the rent-geared-to-income housing backlog. Grow investments in the MURA program, partnering with groups like the Kensington Market and Chinatown Community Land Trusts in Ward 11 to keep properties in public hands and address speculation. Grow investments in eviction supports and the Rent Bank to keep people housed. Continue securing investments from Province and federal government to build
councillor
Keenan Courtis
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?To alleviate rents, Toronto must expand below-market co-ops, push for rent freezes, and boost private supply via low- and mid-rise infill development. This requires growing its middle-market developer pool and incentivizing contractors to upskill into multi-unit construction. Because land acquisition is the biggest hurdle downtown, the city must coordinate with provincial and federal governments to create dedicated financing structures. This will help smaller, local builders secure land for these vital housing projects.
councillor
Gian Pileri
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would protect affordable rentals through stronger RentSafeTO enforcement, enforceable tenant protections during redevelopment, early housing advice, rent and deposit help, and non-profits buying rental buildings. I would support non-profit and co-op homes near transit and lasting affordability on City land, and work with other governments to fund supportive housing. With councillors and tenant groups, I would press Ontario to reform and improve the Residential Tenancies Act to better protect tenants.
councillor
Alice Li
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Housing is a human right. I know firsthand that housing is one of the biggest expenses for many Torontonians, myself included. Too many people are only one missed rent payment away from losing their home. On City Council, I would prioritize increasing the supply of housing, protecting existing affordable and rental housing, and investing in permanent housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness. I would also prioritize the quality and safety of housing.
councillor
Diana Yoon
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I am proud of my track record of securing $1.5 billion of funding from the federal government for new affordable co-op housing. I would prioritize creating new co-op housing and invest in community land trusts. We can double the funding for the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition program to help co-ops and non profits buy buildings. We can also help tenants stay in their homes and stop unfair rent increases. RentSafeTO needs to be better enforced and expanded. My office will always be a resource for those trying to find a secure place to live.
councillor
Josh Matlow
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I will continue to prioritize fighting for tenants, protecting existing affordable housing stock, and building new affordable housing supply. I will advocate for stronger enforcement against bad landlords through RentSafeTO, including the use of remedial action, to ensure buildings are properly maintained. I would push to build more affordable and supportive housing on public land, with rents geared to income. I will continue to support new housing projects in Toronto St. Paul’s delivering hundreds of units of new affordable housing.
councillor
David Cottrell
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize keeping people securely housed by protecting renters from unfair displacement, accelerating genuinely affordable and supportive housing, and making better use of existing housing stock. Toronto also needs faster approvals for projects that actually deliver affordability, not just more expensive units. Housing policy should focus on what people can afford, not simply how many units are built.
councillor
Mina Nadimi
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?yes, I agree with housing costs are way high & it is going to be higher to Torontonians for either you Rent or own homes . / Own business unfortunately we have got just very limited answers from all 3 levels of governments . As i did map it out in my platform based on my Door knockings issues. what I will do is has to site down with 3 levels of governments and developers to see what is more beneficial to advance housing development based of future population growth in the years to come.
councillor
Jenny Kalimbet
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I will prioritize faster housing approvals, expanding rental supply, and investing in affordable and sustainable housing. We must reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and work with private developers, nonprofits, and all levels of government to deliver real solutions. Homelessness requires more than temporary shelters—we need permanent supportive housing with access to mental health and addiction services. Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to call home.
councillor
Chris Moise
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Over the past four years we built or broke ground on over 1,000 affordable units in Toronto Centre, moved 3,263 people from shelters into permanent housing, and strengthened protections for renters. Going forward I will prioritize deeply affordable and supportive housing on city-owned land, expand the MURA program to preserve existing affordable units, introduce a Vacant Land Tax, and keep fighting the province to restore rent control. Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to call home.
councillor
Tom Cai
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I will implement a 25% vacant homes tax that is applied after 6 months of vacancy. This will force housing developers and speculators to put their vacant homes on the market which will inevitably cause a crash in housing prices.
councillor
Walied Khogali Ali
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would protect existing affordable housing first. I would push for eviction prevention, tenant legal supports, timely repairs and stronger accountability for housing providers. I would also advocate for more deeply affordable and supportive housing, and explore viable rent-to-own pathways with other governments and housing partners. Residents should have a real chance to remain in their communities, whether they rent, need supportive housing or hope to own.
councillor
Morgan Harris
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?The planning process appears to be broken and this affects all types of housing from private homes to public projects. Example in 2019 the city created HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan. I was invited to a consultation on that plan. Eleven city-owned sites identified for affordable housing. One site - a parking lot at 405 Sherbourne Street. Now seven years later, that site remains a parking lot. How can we build housing on that site before 2030? If it takes 7 or 8 years to start a project that is too long.
councillor
Victoria Davis
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Ensuring washroom accessibility for everyone. People are planning their days out based on where washrooms will be, including restrictions of water consumption on hot days, which is dangerous. Some unhoused community members won't eat or drink for days due to not knowing if there will be a toilet that they are allowed to use. To force unhoused people to release outside is a violation of International Human Rights article 12: right to privacy. I will offer tools and grants, for entrepreneurs who want to create cleaning jobs.
councillor
Norman MacLeod
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Know your vote for Norman MacLeod, myself, is for you, my voter. My vision for housing is straightforward. I know our leaders in Provincial Government, a Loyal Blue Club Member. I also attended Jill Dunlop there Housing developers holding together over 2 Billion CAD for Housing. Doug Ford knows my goals. He showed up to exclusively shake my hand in co operation with my intent to run Ward 13 Victory for People. I will use this privilege I paid for with hard cash investment on behalf of Ward13 prior to my Candidacy. Which has also been earned.
councillor
Nicki Ward
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I have past experience of being underhoused. I have professional experience as the CEO of the largest housing co-op in Canada managing housing for 1,000 residents and a $100M capital budget. I understand the need, and I am qualified to make housing work at scale. As councillor I will release surplus municipal property for non-profit and co-op builds, force the TCHC restore properties or transfer them to co-ops. I will lower barriers and costs to encourage condo unit rentals. And I will scrap the tax loopholes that keep homes vacant.
councillor
Curran Stikuts
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Everyone deserves a safe home and the chance to build a life here. I will push for more affordable homes, including housing with on-site support. The City should help nonprofits buy rental buildings and turn unsold condos into affordable housing, and allow sixplexes citywide. I will fight to double the Rent Bank, help tenants facing eviction and make landlords fix unsafe buildings. We also need safer shelters and 24/7 spaces where people can come indoors while we help them find permanent homes.
councillor
Joe Cadeau
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I intend to focus on multi-unit co-op housing that includes market-rate and rent-geared-to-income units to address our housing needs on a priority basis. Current co-op models prove that members have a high level of participation in running and managing the complex, take pride and ownership in their homes, and generate a self-maintaining reserve fund that ensures long-term financial sustainability and a revenue stream for repairs. Co-op housing provides a safe, sustainable, dignified and immediate solution to our most pressing housing needs.
councillor
George Fawcett
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?There is a slumlord crisis in Toronto; too many tenants are faced with the terrible choice of staying in unsafe and unhealthy conditions or moving somewhere that has become even more unaffordable. We need to significantly expand RentSafeTO to take much quicker remedial action and issue meaningful penalties to landlords who refuse to maintain their buildings. I also support the MURA program to acquire and preserve affordable housing, as well as investments in shelters, supportive housing, and services that will help people find and keep a home.
councillor
Maria Voutsinas
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?This is a complex problem that will require actions from all levels of government. I will work with provincial and federal governments to encourage their investment in housing for all affordability levels with a priority to build housing for low income residents to help them find safe long term housing. I will work with developers to identify and reduce barriers to their investment in new affordable building projects and work with City Council to reduce restrictive zoning laws that prohibit gentle increases in density.
councillor
Maqsood Ahmad
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would work to create safer and affordable homes for renters, families and seniors. I would work with City Council to lower permit fees for legal basement rental units, garden suites and affordable housing. I would support lower building charges for projects that include affordable homes. I would also work to control property tax increases and provide tax and utility bill help for seniors and people with low incomes. I would support first time homebuyers and promote the CMHC MLI Select program to help create more affordable rental homes.
councillor
Dianne Saxe
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?We’ll keep creating new homes; help people keep their homes; and help the unhoused find homes. We’ll make homes more affordable to build, through smart rules, incentives and zoning. We’ll keep growing homes on City land. We’ll protect tenants by enhancing RentSafe, extending Vacant Home Tax to apartment buildings, fighting abusive landlords, and pushing the province for fair rent control. We’ll keep helping the unhoused while protecting communities with well-run shelters like Na-Me-Res and hospital-linked addiction beds.
councillor
Michael Mitchell
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Increase the vacant homes tax. Increase funding for the MURA program. Acquire apartment buildings. Implement real rent control and stop renovictions. Implement the new regulatory framework for multi-tenant houses.
councillor
Devyn Stackhouse
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Compassion and innovation. The scene is heartbreaking, and only new ways can repair our hurting streets and communities. No one chooses to live unsheltered when there's a better appropriate option available. We need to figure out the "appropriate" element instead of forcing unworkable outcomes on struggling people. Policy-wise, I'm optimistic about the rapid deployment of bunkhouse hamlets, tiny 1-2 person homes with no plumbing arranged adjacent to a mini-community centre with shared dining, bathing, and recreational spaces.
councillor
Caryma Sa'd
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?As a renter who has represented both tenants and landlords in court, I have a broad perspective on housing issues. My priorities: 1) Expand eviction prevention, with rent banks and early mediation so arrears get paid and tenants stay housed. 2) Support small landlords with retrofit and tax incentives that keep older rentals affordable. 3) Speed up permits for multiplexes and rentals. 4) Clear the TCHC repair backlog and wait list. 5) Mandate in-person, peer-inclusive audits of shelters.
councillor
Susan Chapelle
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would protect existing affordable housing while building more. Enforce strict anti-renoviction rules and expand MURA so non-profits can acquire aging rentals. Keep public land public, using long-term ground leases for permanently affordable and co-op housing near transit. Tackle the TCHC repair backlog and return vacant units to use faster. Shift more resources from managing homelessness through emergency shelters to permanent, supportive homes. The UHN model of Dunn House is a great example of supportive, healing, accessible healthcare.
councillor
Mary Fragedakis
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Toronto needs more housing of all kinds, including affordable and supportive housing. We need to make it easier and faster to build while ensuring growth creates strong, livable neighbourhoods. We also need to help people stay housed and move people experiencing homelessness into appropriate housing, with the mental health, addiction and other supports they need.
councillor
Jason Stevens
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?im one of the only councilor candidates in tor dan to show up along with Mayor Chow and former councilor fletcher to NO JETS and try and save Billions which could be used to house the vulnerable
councillor
Denise Walcott
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?My priority would be helping people keep their homes while creating more affordable, supportive and family-sized housing. I would strengthen tenant support, improve RentSafeTO inspections and push for faster enforcement when landlords leave serious repairs unresolved. I would support affordable and supportive housing on suitable public land and protect Toronto’s renoviction rules. New housing should include homes that local renters, seniors and first-time buyers can actually afford.
councillor
Sara Ehrhardt
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize creating a wide range of housing options from supportive housing, to affordable rentals, market rentals, and new homes and condos to serve all the residents in Toronto-Danforth. This coming term will be especially important as we implement a vision for Ookwemin Minising Island that includes affordable housing and co-ops so we can ensure that the waterfront is for everyone, not just the wealthy.
councillor
Sheena Sharp
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I have designed affordable housing for over 30 years, and have personal experience with the city's approval systems from the outside that can inform improvements. I will speed up housing approvals; favour non-profit housing as owners; push for between-tenant rent control; push for libraries, parks and schools to be built alongside housing; push for the city to develope a plan to end homelessness in 5 years.
councillor
Rachel Chernos Lin
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Toronto needs housing of all kinds to meet resident’s diverse needs - that includes co-op and affordable housing. The City plays a key role in delivering that housing, especially in a slowing market, alongside developers in the private sector. Just as critical is the need to invest in people. People experiencing homelessness or struggling to keep up with housing costs should have access to supports that will give them a solid foundation and security for future success. This can only be achieved with support from all levels of government.
councillor
Didi Moffat
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I will tackle Toronto’s housing crisis across three clear fronts: Protect Tenants: Strictly enforce RentSafeTO to stop bad-faith evictions and neglected maintenance, while expanding legal clinics and municipal rent-bank access. Build Non-Market Homes: Use surplus public land (City/TTC) exclusively for 100% affordable, non-profit, and co-op housing, and streamline gentle-density approvals. End Chronic Homelessness: Shift capital from emergency hotel leases into permanent supportive housing with wrap-around mental health care, and fund the TCH
councillor
Sinan Erdemir
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I will prioritize increasing supply to make better use of existing homes, making it easier for homeowners to rent out a room, basement, or other part of their home by creating a financial incentive or tax break to do so. I will also ensure that we improve our current support for landlords who do not receive their rent payment on time. I will continue to support renters and enforce maintenance of property and other responsibilities by the landlord.
councillor
Jeffery Adamson
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Toronto needs to treat housing as both an affordability issue and a supply issue. There are two groups under increasing pressure: people who have been priced out of home ownership or rental housing, and existing homeowners struggling with rising mortgage and household costs. I would create opportunities that help these two groups. The City can make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to create safe, legal rental units within their properties, helping them offset housing costs while adding more rental homes to Toronto lowering costs.
councillor
Hassan Mubarak Noor Mohamed
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would focus on housing stability from both ends: increasing the supply of purpose-built affordable, supportive housing while helping people stay in the homes they already have. That means using city-owned land, working with non-profit housing providers, improving access to affordable housing, strengthening eviction-prevention supports, and working with provincial and federal partners. Housing policy should also reflect the needs of families, seniors, newcomers and people experiencing homelessness.
councillor
Jethro Adir Kavod
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?37,865 seniors are on Toronto’s subsidized housing waitlist, over a third of the 104,851 households waiting. Under Shelley Carroll’s leadership as Budget Committee Chair since 2018, this waitlist has kept growing — in my view, housing hasn’t been a sufficient budget priority. My solutions: prioritize seniors with mobility needs in RGI, cut development charges, speed up permits, build on city land, adopt a rental registry, and invest in permanent housing over shelters.
councillor
Shelley Carroll
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize cutting unnecessary City barriers, working with provincial and federal governments and non-profit partners to build more affordable and family-sized housing, and expanding supports that help people move from homelessness into permanent housing. We also need stronger tenant protections and practical measures that help people stay housed. We also need to properly fund the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) program, so housing providers can move quickly to preserve affordable homes before they are lost to the market.
councillor
Roy Samathanam
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize building more affordable and accessible housing across Toronto, while creating incentives and support for low-income households and families. The goal should be to help more people find stable housing and make it easier for families to afford and keep a secure place to live.
councillor
Sabrina Zuniga
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize removing delays and costs that prevent building housing while protecting local services and green spaces. We need purpose-built rentals, family-sized homes, multi-unit buildings and options allowing seniors to remain in their community. The City must maintain affordable housing and make the application process more transparent and responsive. For residents in need, I support safe supportive housing, mental-health care, and addiction treatment offering a path to stability rather than further addiction.
councillor
Hamid Shakeri
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?We need comprehensive housing strategies from all three levels of government. Toronto's crisis wasn't created by city hall alone; lack of development across Ontario and Canada has overwhelmed our city. The provincial and federal governments must contribute significant funding. We need to cap housing costs at a fair percentage of household income, like 35% for rent or mortgage. Waiting 15 years for social housing is a shame, and seeing homeless individuals everywhere is unacceptable.
councillor
Nathan Yusifov
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would push to use City-owned land for affordable and non-profit housing, accelerate approvals for suitable housing developments, and strengthen partnerships with federal and provincial governments to secure funding. New housing must include options for low- and moderate-income households, families, seniors, and young people—not just those who can afford market prices. I would advocate for stronger support for low-income renters, improved access to rent assistance, and better enforcement of housing standarts.
councillor
David Magazzinich
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize getting more housing built faster by cutting unnecessary delays while ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with growth. We need genuinely affordable rental and ownership options, protection of existing rental housing, and targeted RGI and supportive housing for those who need it most. On homelessness, housing must be paired with mental-health, addiction and other supports. Growth should be responsible, affordable and shaped with community input.
councillor
Adam Smith
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?We need more public housing, and to wrest control from the province so we can return to fulsome rent controls and inclusionary zoning. If legally possible, we should expropriate buildings from inadequate landlords, for example 500 Dawes Rd. We need to work with encampments to ensure they are organized and safe and do not prevent others from using parks. Toronto needs to improve TCHC stock, not sell it off.
councillor
James Dann
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?The east end is growing fast. My priority is making sure we build the homes we need and the neighbourhoods to support them. That means more housing across the spectrum, including affordable and supportive units, along with schools, transit, and community space that make growth livable. I would also get stalled and derelict properties back into use instead of letting them sit empty, and I would push hard to protect renters as we build. I have spent my career working on city projects, so I know how to get things built in a timely manner.
councillor
Jennie Worden
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?The City can, and should, become a leader in building and maintaining non-market, truly affordable housing. This means we need to act on the repair and renewal backlog at Toronto Community Housing to make more homes available for people on years-long waitlists. We also need to increase the funding for our existing multi-unit residential acquisition (MURA) program which helps the City to purchase existing rent controlled multi-unit buildings that are at risk of being redeveloped.
councillor
Nate Erskine-Smith
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Smart growth: gentle density in neighbourhoods, midrise on avenues, and greater density near transit hubs. All matched by access to green spaces, transit, and community infrastructure. Ambitious expansion of non-market housing, using city land and land owned by nonprofits. Better tenant protections, building on the work of the Chow administration with RentSafeTO. Action to end homelessness, including rent supplements together with supportive and rapid housing.
councillor
Syeda Jaana Ali
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Housing must be affordable, safe and secure. I would prioritize building more affordable and purpose-built rental housing, especially on public land, while protecting existing affordable units from being lost. I would strengthen RentSafeTO enforcement and tenant protections, expand eviction-prevention and rent-bank supports, and increase supportive housing. We also need stronger partnerships with provincial and federal governments so funding, housing supply and income supports work together. The goal: build, protect and prevent homelessness.
councillor
Mohammad Shabani
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Toronto will build housing directly and block corporate landlords to give you a secure place to live. The City Builds: Toronto will build its own apartments—30% low-income, 40% middle-class/co-ops, and 30% market rent—locked in for 99 years. Fast Approvals: Affordable transit-line projects will get approved within 60 days. Stop Renovictions: Non-profits get first rights to buy older buildings before big corporations do. Build Up: We will build timber co-ops on top of big-box stores on transit lines using "Air Right" to build or to pay order
councillor
Jennifer Alexander
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I’d focus on keeping people housed while increasing the supply of affordable homes. That means protecting existing affordable and rental housing, supporting non-profit and mixed-income housing on public land, and advocating for improvements to the MURA process so local community land trusts, co-ops and other community-led groups can compete more effectively to preserve and create affordable housing. We also need stronger tenant protections and supports so people can find and keep a secure home.
councillor
Katie Andrachuk
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?The average Toronto home costs 10.5 times the average income, an unimaginable burden for previous generations. We need more housing of all types, including low- and mid-rise buildings with accessible, family-sized units. I'll prioritize simplifying approvals, reducing unnecessary costs, and making better use of land near transit. More housing choices will help young families stay in their communities, older residents downsize nearby, and renters find homes they can afford.
councillor
Kevin Rupasinghe
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?First is using the City’s powers to build more affordable units to own and rent. Using public land to bring down costs so that nonprofit housing or co-op housing is built, and encouraging more family-oriented housing through zoning changes, will allow for more options that bring housing costs down. Second, the City can use its powers to give renters more suitable housing, by cracking down on negligent corporate landlords, by-lawing against unfair Above Guideline Increases, and getting more affordable rental built so renters have stable housing.
councillor
Naser Kaid
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Anyone experiencing homelessness should receive immediate access to temporary shelter and support in finding permanent housing. The city must protect tenants from unreasonable rent increases and ensure rents remain affordable. City subsidies should help low-income individuals and families pay rent. Governments must invest in public and affordable housing to prevent homelessness. Housing is a basic human need, not a privilege. No one should be left on the streets.
councillor
Ariel-Rachel Karokis
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?We need to investigate and reduce Property Tax. As well as, start approving and start building more Homes and Buildings immediately. With more quantity it would ease the pressure from the limited supply we have at the moment.
councillor
Taiba Ahmed
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?As councillor, my focus will be on providing more co-op housing solutions by knocking down legal barriers and waiving development charges on co-op projects. Torontonians need more affordable housing options and the city does not have the financial capacity to build it all by itself. I also want to punish and scrutinize bad landlords and developers who abuse vacancy decontrol to drive up our rents. I will push for stronger SafeTO audits on landlords who continually raid Toronto tenant’s wallets by endlessly driving rents up.
councillor
Madura Shanmugaratnam
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize increasing access to affordable and secure housing by working with the City, non-profit organizations, and housing providers. Toronto already has tools and incentives to support affordable units in new developments, and I want to ensure we are making effective use of them. I would also support partnerships with organizations that help create affordable homeownership and rental opportunities, while advocating for a range of housing options that meet residents' different needs.
councillor
Akina Lalla
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?My priority would be to restructure the Current Affordable Housing Models such as mixed income, subsidized, co-op and rent-geared to income housing. I will advocate for the rent-geared to income model so that people who have a place to live can maintain their housing. Advocate for an increase in joint venture development projects between the City and developers to build homes for rent-to-own candidates so that residents can build their credit while preparing for homeownership.
councillor
Willie Reodica
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?My priorities is to advocate for homeowners affected by Metrolinx expropriation & TTC subway extension Push for fair market value appraisal & compensation. Ensure their rights are respected.
councillor
Krissan Veerasingam
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Expand co-operative, rent-geared-to-income, and non-market housing on almost 100 city owned land that is housing ready or has the potential. Increase the Vacant Home Tax to make sure homes don’t sit empty during a housing crisis, while also fixing the reporting process that incorrectly penalized homeowners. Protect renters by strengthening RentSafe and improving enforcement against negligent landlords. Support gentle density and more housing options for families, including multiplexes, townhomes and laneway suites.
councillor
Nisha Kumari
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Housing is a human right, but Toronto treats it like a luxury. In Scarborough Centre, rents are soaring and waitlists take decades. City Council relies on developers to fix a crisis they profit from. As Ward 21 Councilor, I’ll fight to: Ban Renovictions: Force developers to replace units at equal rent. Build Co-ops: Use City land for 100% non-profit homes. Fund Support: Shift dollars from policing to housing solutions. Scarborough needs affordable homes, not luxury condos.
councillor
Stella Kargiannakis
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?The subsidies for subsidised housing, which represent the shortfall in the operating budgets of public housing affected by the proportion of rent-geared-to-income units in a project, were traditionally provided by the federal and provincial governments. The only municipal contribution was the property tax exemption. The prerequisite to housing is a job. Governments must ensure the employability of the unhoused and underhoused and must address the root causes of homelessness.
councillor
Sindia Vijayarajan
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?The city's rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing has over 104,000 active households. Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) stopped taking new direct applications for its own separate rental waiting list in June 2019. Average wait times for TCHC and RGI units generally range from 10 to 15 years depending on the size of the unit and applicant priority. These wait times are ridiculous for a something that is considered a human right. I fully support a cut to other services to address this issue. I also propose building a shelter in this ward.
councillor
Rakhee Kotecha
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize preventing people from losing their housing in the first place, while creating clearer pathways to stable housing for those already homeless. Homelessness has different causes and needs different responses: short-term financial or employment support for some, and supportive housing, mental-health or addiction treatment for others. The goal should be preventing homelessness where possible and helping people move toward permanent, stable housing.
councillor
Donny Morgan
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Housing needs to be affordable and secure. I would focus on building more affordable and subsidized housing, increasing the supply of homes, and helping people stay in their homes by supporting renters who are at risk of eviction. We also need better support for people experiencing homelessness, including housing, mental health and addiction services. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home.
councillor
Dan Lovell
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Affordable Public Housing The cost of housing in Scarborough is in crisis. Toronto needs to restore existing public stock and buy and build additional units. Don't rely on private developers. Build public, highly affordable mass housing.
councillor
Jackson Ho
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?With many condo units currently on the market, Toronto has an opportunity to purchase existing homes and offer them to low-income families at subsidized rents. This could provide housing faster, reduce construction costs, and create long-term public assets. Using existing homes also reduces the environmental impact of new construction, supports housing market stability, and helps distribute affordable housing across Toronto rather than concentrating it in a few developments.
councillor
Han Dong
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Scarborough North is a homeowner ward, yet the adult kids cannot leave home and seniors cannot afford to stay. Council changed our housing rules without asking us. In my first 101 days I will launch a ward-wide housing consultation and publish the report, and open a housing clinic in my ward office for rent-geared-to-income and benefit applications. Next: safe, legal basement apartments, repairs funded in Toronto Community Housing units, new homes along Sheppard, Steeles and McCowan near transit, and tax increases tested against inflation.
councillor
Sajawal Javed
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Housing must be treated as a basic need, not just a market issue. On Council, I would push for more affordable and rental housing, protect existing affordable homes, and expand supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness. I would also work with provincial and federal partners to bring more funding into Toronto. Most importantly, I want clear targets and public reporting, so residents can see how many homes were created, who they helped, and what was delivered.
councillor
Jamaal Myers
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?As City Councillor, I championed a successful multiplex pilot that helped Toronto secure $471 million federal funding to build 11,780 affordable rental homes across Toronto. I would continue to prioritize gradual changes to neighbourhoods, that gently densify them with affordable homes while respecting their unique character. I will continue to support safe and supportive housing for those that are unhoused to get them off of the streets and in contact with appropriate, wrap-around supports and services.
councillor
Ronald Phen
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?As a city council I would like to encourage the building of more residential rental homes. More supply of rental homes will freeze or possibly lower rent for renters. I would also discourage speculation on residential properties , as speculation only drives up the price of residential properties which in turn drives up rent for everyone.
councillor
Shaun Chen
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Every person deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. As the MP for Scarborough North, I advocated for our city and helped secure $2.7 billion in federal funding for Toronto to build new homes, including affordable housing and income-tested rentals. I will draw on my experience working across governments and partisanship to secure funding from senior levels of government, while unlocking city-owned properties and expanding development in a responsible way that includes consultation with local communities and stakeholders.
councillor
Paul Ainslie
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?My top priority on Council would be delivering practical results that strengthen communities through housing, transportation, infrastructure, and community safety. Toronto needs leaders who solve problems, build partnerships, and secure investments that improve daily life. As Deputy Mayor for Scarborough and a Councillor with more than twenty years of public service, I have experience working with all orders of government, listening to residents, and turning local concerns into action. My focus is always on accountability and tangible outcomes.
councillor
Ashan Fernando
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would prioritize increasing the supply of affordable and supportive housing while speeding up approvals for new homes. (No High Rise Condos, Low Rise Townhouses and low rise apartment buildings). The City should work with provincial and federal partners, non-profits and developers to deliver more affordable rental options and protect existing affordable housing. We must also strengthen homelessness prevention and support services so people can find and keep a stable home. Ward 25 deserves practical action and results.
councillor
Zakir Patel
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Toronto needs to build more housing faster, including affordable and supportive housing, while cutting unnecessary delays and costs that make new homes more expensive. We also need to protect renters, make better use of City-owned land for housing, and work with the provincial and federal governments to increase the supply of affordable homes.
councillor
Neethan Shan
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I will prioritize expanding the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) Program, which helps non-profits, land trusts, and housing co-operatives purchase existing rental buildings and preserve them as permanently affordable homes. I will also champion the activation of under-utilized City-owned lands to build more affordable homes. By expediting the municipal planning and approvals process for trusted housing providers, we can build high-quality, affordable homes quickly.
councillor
Vane Stavrev
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would advocate for renters to the Provincial Government and the Federal Government and ask for Rent Supplement. Also I would advocate for more subsidized housing. Increase homeless shelters.
councillor
Jannette Lumley
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?The cost of living continue to rise in Toronto on a daily basis. However, matters like this must be taken into consideration from on a collaborative effort based on collective decisions. This matter is a team effort and working together to find solutions to the problem is necessary. If the current Councilors already made a submission to deal with this issue it could be looked at ensuring that the matter be dealt with based on urgency. What I could do though is to make a recommendation based on the City's current situation.
councillor
Amber Morley
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Deliver on diverse housing options, including shelter and transitional housing along with non-profit partners. Continue incentivizing new purpose built private development rentals to maximize housing stock and make rents affordable. Continue leading in purpose built rentals and affordable units on City owned land. I will champion and deliver on the City’s Housing and Homelessness Strategies, both designed to make new units a reality, right size our housing market and ensure everyone has options, regardless of their needs or demographics.
councillor
Mihaela Andrei
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Everyone deserves a secure home. In our ward, that's the man sleeping in the city parks, the young couple in Mimico priced out of buying, the senior in Long Branch afraid her rent will outrun her pension. To help people find and keep adequate housing, I would fast-track affordable and subsidized units, with the services, transit, schools and parks to support them. I would fight renovictions, expand the rent bank that stops evictions before they happen, hold the line on property taxes and work with local agencies on supportive housing.
councillor
Steve Yuen
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Affordable Housing is NOT exclusive to the those just in need. Affordable Housing is inclusive to every Canadian & ALL Residents in Ward 4! Therefore; my first Engagement would be to ask the Federal Government or OUR Prime Minister Mark Carney ( the former Bank of Canada Governor) to help LOWER THE FEDERAL INTEREST RATE FOR EVERYONE! Current owners, potential rent to ownership will SAVE the Co$t$ of living to further assist increased tax dollar$$ for those ESPECIALLY in need.
councillor
Bridget Ogundipe
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I believe housing is a fundamental right. We need to help people stay in their homes while building more affordable housing. I would protect renters from displacement and hold landlords accountable through RentSafeTO. For homeowners, I would scrutinize City spending before raising property taxes. I would reduce barriers to building diverse housing while ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with growth. For people experiencing homelessness, I would advocate for housing linked to mental health services and outreach through Streets to Homes.
councillor
Adam Pham
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Create a rent-to-own program that gives the next generation a realistic path to home ownership. Prioritize City Spending to create 30,000 affordable housing units and make ending homelessness a feasible goal in one term. Reduce property taxes for seniors by up to 25%. By providing affordable taxes, utilities, and a city-run home insurance program, landlords can be incentivized to keep rents affordable for tenants. Creating 30,000 units of affordable rental units within 4 years is achievable.
councillor
Holly Weber
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I support zoning changes for multi-unit, missing middle development, expanding public housing, increasing shelter space and making it easier and cheaper to build – e.g. reduced development costs and faster approvals processes - so we can increase the supply of housing in the city.
councillor
Diana Chan McNally
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?I would scale the RentSafeTO program to meet the real need of tenants, including by taking real action against bad faith landlords. I would also create more permanently affordable homes by increasing funding for the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) program, and build upon the success of Toronto’s Public Builder Model by prioritizing in Parkdale–High Park our community’s greatest housing needs: affordable rentals, accessible units, and family-sized units.
councillor
Debbie King
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?Managing housing costs requires a multi-pronged approach, including acquiring, maintaining and greening homes across the spectrum of options to meet diverse individual and family needs. Key priorities include expanding the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) program, strengthening tenant support programs, expanding RentSafeTO, and maintaining Toronto Community Housing in a state of good repair. I would also prioritize a holistic, youth-specific homelessness prevention strategy.
councillor
Vanessa Raponi
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?We need to invest in more affordable and supportive housing. All new developments should have a % deeply affordable units, and we must build family-sized homes (2-3 bedrooms of adequate size). We need social services in place to match folks in transition from encampments/homelessness through shelters through permanent housing to have wraparound supports. All existing tenants must have clear knowledge of their rights, and protection via Tenants Associations and unions. Rent control is essential.
councillor
Andy Potega
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?We are spending billions trying to deal with homelessness. Toronto has about 15,400 homeless people. If we are spending close to $1.3 billion a year, I want to see more permanent housing. Take the last 5 years, if a 20-storey building with 350 apartments costs about $210 million, then for $6.5 billion we might have 31 buildings, or about 10,850 apartments. My question is simple, after all the money we have spent, why aren't we building permanent housing and solving the problem instead we continue to pay for the problem year after year?
councillor
Chiara Padovani
Housing costs weigh on Torontonians whether they rent or own, access to subsidized housing is limited, and a growing number of people have no home at all. What would you prioritize on the next City Council to help people find and keep a secure place to live?As a renter and co-founder of our local tenant union, I know how precarious housing is for so many in our ward and across the city. Far too many are one missed payment away from being evicted. At the same time, we have a dire need for more affordable housing. The waitlists are astronomical. The city could be buying existing housing stock, which costs ⅓ as much as building new housing - and keeps it affordable, now. I’m committed to making rent affordable while protecting and expanding the supply of affordable housing.