Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Toronto and the federal government this week announced funding for 43 “deeply affordable” supportive homes as part of the third phase of the federal Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI).
Projects include:
- 7 Vanauley St., led by YMCA of Greater Toronto
- 393 Dundas St. E., led by St. Jude Community Homes (SJCH)
“We’re working with all orders of government and not-for-profit partners to get more housing built faster,” said Mayor Olivia Chow. “Projects like 7 Vanauley St. and 393 Dundas St. E. demonstrate how we can partner to quickly build stable, supportive housing for people who need it. Our ambitious housing plan aims to build thousands of affordable homes by working with non-profits.
“We’re ready to build even more.”
The YMCA of Greater Toronto will develop and operate the project at 7 Vanauley St., The Wagner Green YMCA. The building will include 31 new homes dedicated to 2SLGBTQ+ youth who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The new homes will be operated as supportive housing by the YMCA, which will provide a range of services for tenants, including support for housing stability, mental health and well-being, and other on-site support services.
“Affordable housing is critically important and essential to our city’s well-being. Our charity is thrilled to expand the transitional housing we provide for 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness,” said Lesley Davidson, president and CEO, YMCA of Greater Toronto.
The project at 393 Dundas St. E. will include 12 new homes dedicated to people experiencing homelessness.
“At St. Jude Community Homes, we understand that addressing homelessness requires a fundamental solution: the creation of deeply affordable homes with essential supports. Through our collaborative efforts, we are poised to continue with positive changes for our community and the opportunity to help transform the lives of the individuals who will call it home,” said Carol Zoulalian, executive director, SJCH.
RHI is delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the National Housing Strategy. RHI has been critical in scaling up the supply of supportive homes in Toronto and is one of the key strategies to addressing Toronto’s homelessness crisis.
