Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced on Friday that the completion of the city’s new rent-geared-to-income supportive housing units in Parkdale has been delayed until the fall of 2026. Initially scheduled for early 2026, the project will feature 42 affordable housing units in a four-storey building at 11 Brock Ave. During a news conference with Coun. Gord Perks and Taiaiako’n—Parkdale—High Park MPP Karim Bardeesy, Chow emphasized the importance of providing every resident with a stable housing solution.
Chow stated, “The best way to help a person find stable footing and rebuild their life is to build housing that people can afford.” Each apartment will offer a kitchen, bathroom, shared laundry facilities, a commercial kitchen, and a common area for programming. Tenants will pay a maximum of 30% of their income or shelter allowance on rent and receive wrap-around support services for health, wellbeing, and housing stability.
The housing project is part of the city’s “public developer delivery model,” approved by the Toronto city council in July 2024 to construct affordable rental homes for low and moderate-income residents on city-owned land. Chow highlighted the use of mass timber in the construction, which is faster, greener, and exceeds Toronto’s green standard.
The Brock Avenue lot, previously owned by the province of Ontario, was acquired by the city in 2019. Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre, a charitable organization experienced in operating supportive homes for adults with mental health and substance abuse issues, will lease and manage the building.
City officials commenced construction on the affordable housing project in December, supported by $21.6 million in federal funding through the rapid housing initiative’s third round in 2023. Chow mentioned ongoing collaboration with Minister of Housing Gregor Robertson to build 25,000 new affordable homes in Toronto, surpassing the target of 18,000 supportive homes approved by 2030.
The city is seeking operating funding from the province for the project. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack’s spokesperson, Alexandra Sanita, stated that the Ontario government is investing $1.7 billion to enhance access to supportive housing and allocate $75.5 million to assist vulnerable individuals in finding housing alternatives.
This project is the first of five “public developer delivery model” affordable housing initiatives by the city. Chow highlighted the groundbreaking nature of the project, noting progress even in challenging economic times. The latest update from 2024 revealed a significant increase in Toronto’s social housing waiting list, with 92,965 individuals compared to 75,191 in 2019.
City council adopted a report in July 2022 introducing a new affordable rental housing allocation approach. Doug Rollins, director of housing stability services at the city’s housing secretariat, explained that for buildings with more than 10 units, half the applicants will be chosen via a lottery system, while the other half will be prioritized based on their waiting time for affordable housing.