Toronto's Mayoral Election: Make It Clear What You Mean by Affordability

written by Seyfi Tomar & Murat Üçoğlu

Over the last 15 years, Toronto has experienced a severe housing crisis and the worst part of this crisis is that political leaders, policymakers, and councilors have not really understood well the nature and consequences of this crisis. By housing crisis, we mean the lack of affordable and physically adequate housing. As we are approaching the mayoral election in Toronto after John Tory left his office, there is an ongoing discussion on the problem of housing in Toronto. The discussion is not limited to mayoral election competition, even at the Federal level, politicians are always challenging each other on the matter of affordable housing. Even though there is an increasing tendency to indicate that the housing crisis in Toronto mainly stems from the financialization of housing, there is no direct addressing of this issue while everyone emphasizes that affordable housing is necessary.

The challenging concept here is "affordable housing", however, we have never heard from the politicians and policymakers (on every level) about how they will make the housing market affordable. Despite their emphasis on the importance of affordable housing, they fail to provide a clear definition of the term and how they plan to make housing affordable for everyone. "Affordable" has become a buzzword for political campaigns, and politicians use it to connect with those who cannot afford to live in a one-bedroom unit in Toronto. Currently, the average rental price for a one-bedroom unit in Toronto is $2,474, and for a two-bedroom unit, it is $3,162. In the meantime, there have been many initiatives on the matter of housing in Toronto but none of them has really covered the core points of the issue. Here are some of the initiatives;

Approval of laneway housing in 2019, with further developments in 2021-2022
Waiving of development charges for multiplexes with four units or less by Toronto city council in 2022
Danforth Avenue Design Guidelines introduced in April 2022
Mid-rise Building Design Guidelines published by Toronto
Ontario ("Relief") Line
Waiving of parking minimums in residential buildings by the City of Toronto in 2021
Mandatory pre-application consultation process (PAC) in Toronto starting April 3, 2023
More Homes Built Faster Act (Bill 23) introduced in 2022
Housing Action Plan
Home Buyer's Bill of Rights
Rapid Housing Initiative
Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit
National Housing Co-Investment Fund
Government of Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS)
First-Time Home Buyer Incentive
First Home Savings Account

None of these previous initiatives directly aimed at providing affordable housing successfully. One of the crucial suggestions for the housing crisis in Toronto is to build mid-rise buildings of 5-11 storeys near public transit hubs. This approach aims to increase housing supply, promote transit-oriented development, and reduce transportation costs. However, the location of these developments is a concern. It is unclear where they would be situated, and if historically wealthy neighborhoods would be willing to accommodate them.

The Importance of Transit-Oriented Development
In principle, we are in favor of this type of development as this is really necessary for the city and this can be an ambitious response to the increasing demand for housing. Why do we need a transit-oriented development with dominantly in the form of 5-11 storey mid-size housing? Many proponents of transit-oriented development in Toronto are advocating for such developments in outskirt areas or non-downtown neighborhoods, while neighborhoods such as Greektown, High-Park, and Royal York subway station are neglected. These neighborhoods are historically prosperous compared to many neighborhoods in Toronto, so it begs the question: why are we not changing the building structure in these areas to provide more housing?
We need an ambitious focus on mixed-use developments along Toronto's underdeveloped arterial roads such as Lawrence Avenue, Wilson Avenue, St. Clair Avenue, Bloor Street, and Eglinton Avenue, which is a viable option to increase the density and vibrancy of the area. In addition to mid-rise or high-rise buildings, other measures such as widened sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and increased public transit options could also be incorporated to enhance the walkability and accessibility of these streets. It is important to ensure that these developments are designed and implemented in a way that is responsive to the needs and concerns of the local community, through community consultations and engagement initiatives. Improving Toronto's livability and reducing the city's dependence on cars must be a top priority, and one way to achieve this is through transit-oriented development. The fact that 83% of Torontonians use cars daily, compared to other global cities such as New York (30%), London (37%), Amsterdam (27%), and Tokyo (12%), underscores the urgent need for investment in public transportation and the creation of walkable, bike-friendly communities.

Transit-oriented development involves constructing housing, retail, and other amenities near public transit stops to encourage residents to use public transportation instead of cars. This type of development has been proven to reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as promote active lifestyles and enhance access to employment, education, and other opportunities. To realize this goal, it is vital that city planners, developers, and community members collaborate to develop plans that prioritize transit-oriented development and improve public transportation accessibility. This may involve building new transit lines, expanding existing infrastructure, and creating more walkable, bike-friendly communities that prioritize the needs of pedestrians and cyclists.

Investing in transit-oriented development will not only improve the quality of life for Torontonians, but also help the city become more sustainable, resilient, and economically competitive in the years to come. To further enhance the livability of these areas, improving public spaces by creating wider sidewalks, adding green space, and constructing bike lanes can make the area more pedestrian-friendly and encourage more foot traffic. Investing in public transportation along these arterial roads is another viable solution. This could include constructing dedicated buses or streetcar lanes or even a light rail transit line similar to the Eglinton Crosstown. However, any development should be done in a way that is respectful of the existing communities' needs and character. Overall, these underdeveloped arterial roads have immense potential to be transformed into vibrant, mixed-use communities that cater to the needs of Toronto residents. But careful planning and consideration are necessary to ensure that development is sustainable, inclusive, and aligned with the community's needs.

We Need Urgent "Affordable" Housing But How and Where?

The need for more housing in Toronto is urgent, but the form it should take is still uncertain. Politicians and policymakers believe that increasing the housing supply will make it more affordable, but there is no direct correlation between supply and affordability, especially in areas with high immigration rates. The issue of NIMBYism, driven by racism, has also hindered development in wealthy downtown neighborhoods, ignoring the needs of other communities. This problem needs immediate attention, as there are many areas capable of accommodating population growth while maintaining a sense of community. These are for instance; Crescent Town, Woodbine-Lumsden, Danforth Village, Blake-Jones, North/South Riverdale, Playter Estate Danforth, Cabbagetown, Greenwood-Coxwell, Annex, Kensington-Chinatown, Trinity-Bellwoods, Palmerston-Little Italy, Dufferin Grove, Little Portugal, Roncesvalles, Parkdale, Niagara, Highpark, Junction, Baby Point, Lambton, Stonegate.

There are two key three key obstacles for Toronto to fix its housing crisis by using mid-rise development around transit hubs. 1) The financialization of housing; the conversion of housing into a financial investment tool increases the prices and entire indebtedness rate. 2) NIMBYism in wealthy neighborhoods. 3) The lack of clarity on affordable housing. Therefore, the discussion of affordable housing in Toronto lacks clarity on how it can be achieved through transit-oriented development. Proposed solutions involve constructing mid-rise buildings near public transit hubs, but the specific locations and potential resistance from wealthy neighborhoods remain unclear. Increasing the housing supply alone does not guarantee affordability, and the issue of NIMBYism driven by racism needs to be addressed. It is important to prioritize transit-oriented development, improve public transportation accessibility, and engage with local communities to create sustainable and inclusive communities. Collaborative efforts are needed from city planners, developers, and community members to balance new development with the preservation of neighborhood character.

Ultimately, addressing the housing crisis in Toronto would entail a combination of bold, transformative actions and gradual, incremental changes. This would demand a sustained and concerted effort from all stakeholders involved to secure Toronto's status as a vibrant, diverse, and livable city for all its inhabitants. We need active community engagement and necessary public funds to provide deeply affordable housing not only to respond to the existing housing crisis but also for providing urgent accommodation for newcomers.

What we want from all our mayoral candidates is that they should make it clear what they understand by "affordability", what they mean by affordability, and how they will achieve it. What they mean by transit-oriented development and how and where they will work on it.

805 Wilson Ave Suite #391, North York, ON M3K 1E4 CANADA

Email muratuc@yorku.ca

Murat Ucoglu is a researcher at York University

Seyfi Tomar is an independent researcher and General Secretary of FIABCI

This release was published on openPR.