National Housing Week 2022

Affordable Housing in the GTA: Right Track? Wrong Track?

With quality of life and the region’s prosperity at stake, join ULI Toronto for a special five-part webinar series during National Housing Week that explores what most describe as a housing affordability crisis in the GTA: what is fuelling it, the impact of current efforts, and new ideas to truly and sustainably solve for it.

Canadian Housing Policy Report: ULI National Housing Week

Day 1: AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS IN THE GTA: HOW DEEP IS IT?

That the Toronto region faces a severe and worsening crisis of housing affordability is not new, but this rapidly worsening crisis is taking on new urgency. Dominating two elections in 2022 and reaching the top of the federal agenda, ULI Toronto takes stock of the economics and politics of this crisis. On the eve of the anniversary of National Housing Day, are we on the right track or wrong track in delivering affordable housing, including market affordability and subsidized housing?

Moderator: Leslie Woo, CEO, CivicAction
Isabel Cascante, Director, Research, Public Policy and Evaluation, United Way Greater Toronto
Derek Goring, Executive Vice President, Development, Northcrest Developments
Professor Nemoy Lewis, Assistant Professor, School of Urban and Regional Planning, Toronto Metropolitan University
Heela Omarkhail, VP Social Impact, The Daniels Corporation
Craig Ruttan, Senior Director, Policy, Toronto Region Board of Trade

 

Day 2: SUPPLY, SUPPLY, SUPPLY: WILL TRICKLE DOWN DELIVER AFFORDABILITY?

The federal and provincial housing affordability strategies assume that by enabling massive new housing supply, we can achieve affordability in a competitive marketplace, albeit more for future home purchasers and tenants than those struggling now. Is it even possible to achieve the level of supply envisioned (1.5-2+ million new homes in the next decade), and if so, can a surge of supply deliver the housing affordability that our region needs?

Moderator: Jesse Helmer, Senior Research Associate, Smart Prosperity Institute
Professor Karen Chapple, Director, University of Toronto, School of Cities
Robyn Brown, Director | Sr. Practice Lead, Planning, Arcadis IBI Group
Andrew Garrett, Senior Principal, Real Estate Portfolio, IMCO and Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force Member – Appointed by Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affair and Housing
Robert Kavcic, Director and Senior Economist, BMO Capital Markets

 

Day 3: DEMAND SIDE: EXAMINING THE UNDERDISCUSSED SIDE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Markets are defined by supply and demand, and yet the demand side of the housing affordability crisis in the GTA gets much less airtime. Myriad demand pressures and incentives are at play in our housing market. What are these pressures, and how is public policy at each level of government contributing to the region’s affordability challenges or solutions in both the ownership and rental markets?

Moderator: Cherise Burda, Executive Director, City Building Research and Innovation, Toronto Metropolitan University
Shaun Hildebrand, President, Urbanation Inc.
Tobias Oriwol, Vice President, Investments, Tricon Residential Inc.
John Pasalis, President and Broker, Realosophy Realty Inc.
Steve Pomeroy, Industry Professor, and Executive Advisor, McMaster University, Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative (CHEC) and Senior Research Fellow, Carleton University

 

 

 

 

Day 4: REALITY CHECK: HITS AND MISSES OF GOVERNMENT-SUPPORTED AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING

We’ve had a decade of public policy and programs – from the National Housing Strategy to Inclusionary Zoning and Housing Now – aimed at delivering affordable rental housing units. How are we doing? How many units are delivered, under construction or in the pipeline in the region? How many are lost or ‘on pause’? What are the implications of Bill 23 (More Homes, Built Faster Act) on affordable rental?

Moderator: Mark Richardson, CTO, Rich Analytics Technical Lead, HousingNowTO.com
Andrew Joyner, Managing Director, Tricon Residential Inc.
Joe Svec, Vice President, Development & Planning, Choice Properties
Ray Sullivan, Executive Director, Canadian Housing and Renewal Association
Chiyi Tam, Executive Director, Kensington Market Community Land Trust

 

Day 5: RIGHT TO ADEQUATE HOUSING IN CANADA: FAILING THE UNDER-HOUSED AND HOMELESS

The National Housing Strategy introduced on November 22, 2017 promised legislation to implement the government’s commitment to the progressive realization of the “right to housing” as guaranteed in international human rights law. What does this right mean and what is the collective duty across the public and private sectors in Canada to achieve this international standard? More immediately, as winter approaches, how are we meeting our moral obligation to address our worst ever homelessness crisis in the region?
Moderator: Adrienne Pacini, Partner, SHS Consulting
Michael Brooks, CEO, REALPAC
Cheryll Case, Founder and Executive Director, CP Planning and Early Canadian Urban Leader, University of Toronto – School of Cities
Emily Paradis, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Federal Housing Advocate
Mwarigha M.S, Vice President, WoodGreen Community Services