Tory promises to spend $371M to address TCHC repair backlog

The City of Toronto is pledging nearly $400 million to address the community housing repair backlog, Mayor John Tory announced Wednesday.

“The fact is, a lot of these problems…are not new,” Tory said at Toronto Community Housing headquarters on Sackville Street.

“It has been around for not just a few years but in some cases, decades. The question that arises today is whether this report is going to be treated any differently than the ones that have gone before. I am absolutely determined that that is going to be the case.”

Tory was referring to an interim report released by the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing on Wednesday.

Click here to read the report.

“We intend to see some measurable improvement…before the end of the year,” Tory said.

At least $171 million will be spent on Toronto Community Housing this year, Tory said. He says the money will come from the refinancing of TCHC mortgages. A further $200 million will be spent next year, he said.

While the report focused on funding and repairs, the report also looked at making TCHC buildings safer.

“One of the most common themes we’ve heard is that tenants do not feel safe in their own homes,” Senator Art Eggleton said. “That’s not right and it needs to be addressed right away.”

Tory said the city would be asking the province for tougher legislation on eviction and trespassing, which he said would target drug dealers.

As the city works to complete repairs, Tory is asking that TCH develop more transparent – and more stringent – standards for cleaning, repair and removal of pests. He’s also asking them to provide more jobs and opportunities for their residences, especially youth.

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Seven recommendations from the interim report

• secure additional funding to move forward on the 10-year capital repair program
• develop and implement an action plan on increasing safety and security
• develop and implement an action plan on improving building conditions
• develop and implement an action plan on providing more jobs and opportunities for residents
• develop and implement an action plan on more effective training for TCHC staff and contractors
• engage with residents in the creation of a Resident Charter and review the tenant engagement system
• hire a Chief Operating Officer