TORONTO: The City of Toronto is moving forward on its plan to increase the supply of affordable housing across the city.
As part of the HousingTO 2020- 2030 Action Plan, the City committed to create 1,000 new modular homes in Toronto.
The Modular Housing Initiative is an innovative and costeffective way to build small-scale infill housing while providing a rapid, dignified response to connect people experiencing homelessness with homes and appropriate supports to help them achieve housing stability.
Modular housing, which is essentially prefabricated housing, is built off-site in a factory and
transported to the site for assembly. City Council has approved the first two phase of the project that will create 100 modular homes on City-owned sites in 2020 and an additional 150 in 2021.
A three-storey modular housing building is proposed for the lot at the corner of Trenton and Cedarvale Ave. Each of the approximately 64 studio apartments would be self-contained with a twin bed, a private eat-in kitchen and bathroom.
The building would also include a laundry facility, a kitchen and dining room, program space and administrative offices. The building is designed to support individuals who are exiting homelessness. A local non-profit housing provider will manage the building and provide support services to the tenants under an agreement with the City.
Three virtual community engagement session with Councillor Brad Bradford and City staff were held to provide additional information about the proposed project.
Due to COVID-19 safety requirements, another community engagement meetings for this project will be held online on Monday May 3, 2021 at 7:00 pm.
You can join the meeting and ask questions using your computer, mobile device or telephone. For more information about how to participate, visit the city’s Participate in City Virtual Engagement Events webpage.
Project Announcement
Two sites that are part of the City’s modular housing initiative were formally announced in February this year and stakeholder and community outreach started the same day. As part of the ongoing community engagement process meeting notices were distributed via Canada Post to more than 1,300 residents in the area.
This is part of phase 2 of the modular housing initiative initially approved by City Council in April 2020, through which Council approved creation of 250 modular supportive homes on City-owned sites in 2020 and 2021, using Council approved criteria to select the sites.
City staff were directed by Council to identify and expedite the development of modular supportive housing to alleviate pressures on the shelter system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Consideration by City Council An initial Planning report was considered by Planning and Housing Committee on March 2 and City Council on March 10, which was be the first of two reports on the site. The second report, which will included feedback from the March community engagement meeting is scheduled to be considered by Planning and Housing Committee on April 22 and City Council at the May 5-6 meeting.
Loss of Parking
BA Consulting Group was retained by CreateTO to complete a vehicle parking assessment related to a vehicle parking lot at the corner of Trenton and Cedarvale Ave. that currently serves Stan Wadlow Park and provide an overview of alternative parking locations in the area.
The City’s Community Liaison team has reached out to many local stakeholders including local schools and groups that use Stan Wadlow park and East York Memorial Arena to have follow-up meetings specifically on this issue. The City is committed to engaging with local communities to hear and address their concerns about this project including the loss of parking.
Community Feedback
As part of the engagement process, the City wants to hear and collect feedback and input on other areas such as building and site design elements (i.e. lighting, pathways, and landscaping); ideas for how to support and integrate the new residents into the neighborhood and to answer any questions or concerns they may have about this project.
The City looks forward to engaging with local communities and encourages everyone to share their feedback with the Community Liaison team. Contact information on this webpage and please also consider signing up below to stay informed.