Toronto is facing heightened housing affordability challenges, and people looking to rent or buy need a mix of housing types that addresses the lack of affordable supply.

One of the ways the City of Toronto plans to address housing affordability is with the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) initiative. The proposal promises to build more lowrise housing in residential neighbourhoods to meet the needs of our growing city. It also allows for a more balanced mix of housing types, such as townhouses, as well as building six-storey apartments along major streets. This initiative has the potential to offer lower-cost housing types on residential land that was previously zoned strictly for higher-cost single-family homes.

More midrise

When looking at other jurisdictions, such as Montreal, Portland and Minneapolis, they have all successfully implemented initiatives, just like EHON, to allow for more midrise residential buildings.

TRREB recommends that the City of Toronto take a progressive and flexible approach to neighbourhood character considerations when setting as-of-right parameters for multiplexes throughout the city, particularly in the more suburban areas. TRREB is recommending that the EHON initiatives be exempt from development charges, to encourage uptake, keep costs low and allow for these units to remain relatively affordable.

Process improvements

The federal and provincial Housing Accelerator Funds can also be used to implement process improvements and shore up staffing needs.

Once in force, the City must undertake a public education campaign to put a spotlight on this and other EHON initiatives, highlighting the benefits to homeowners, neighbourhoods and the city overall.