Requesting the Toronto District School Board to Support an Indigenous-led Affordable Housing Project - by Councillor Ana Bailão, seconded by Councillor Paula Fletcher

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The decision

2022-06-15 · Toronto City Council · amended

As filed

City Council on June 15 and 16, 2022, adopted the following: 1. City Council request the Board of Directors, CreateTO to direct the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, the General Manager, Senior Services and Long-Term Care and the Director, Indigenous Affairs Office to explore the feasibility of non-profit housing with the Indigenous Community of the City of Toronto, which may include an Indigenous focused long-term care facility at any future City of Toronto led redevelopment of 200 Poplar Road, acknowledging the required financial obligations of the City of Toronto to deliver a future elementary school for the Toronto District School Board.

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2. City Council request the Board of Directors, CreateTO to direct the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to engage with Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. to understand any interest they may have to partner with the City of Toronto at any future City of Toronto led redevelopment. 3. City Council request the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Land Corporation to prioritize the review of the request by Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. to convey a portion of the greenspace between the parking lot of the Maplewood High School and the property at 4201 and 4203 Kingston Road to Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. and consider conveying these lands at lower than market value or nominal cost, to contribute to truth, justice and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. 4. City Council request the Province of Ontario and/or the Minister of Education and Training to request the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Land Corporation to develop a list of surplus sites, in collaboration with the Housing Secretariat and Miziwe Biik Development Corporation, that can be conveyed to Indigenous housing developers at lower than market or nominal cost for the purpose of building permanently affordable rental housing for Indigenous communities, and exempt such sites and transactions from the requirements of Ontario Regulation 444/98, Disposition of Surplus Property, in order to advance the organizations' commitments to truth, justice and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

On the agenda

As the city filed it

As part of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan ("HousingTO Plan"), the City and Indigenous Housing Organizations co-developed a target to approve and create 5,200 affordable rental and supportive homes for Indigenous communities. Since the adoption of the HousingTO Plan, the City has approved approximately 120 affordable rental and supportive homes. The Planning and Housing Commitee adopted, with amendments, Item PH34.8 , that recommended approval of two Indigenous-led projects with 43 affordable rental homes as part of the 2021 Open Door annual proposal call process..

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One of these projects is a proposal by Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. to develop 19 new affordable rental homes at 4201 and 4203 Kingston Road, a site currently owned and operated by Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. as affordable housing. Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. has identified an opportunity to further increase the number of affordable rental homes that can be created, should they be able to access a narrow strip of greenspace between the Maplewood school's parking lot and Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc.'s property. The Toronto District School Board parcel identified for severance is roughly 2,000 square metres, less than 4 percent of the Maplewood site. The Maplewood site includes significant greenspace including a large field to the south of the school building. Should this portion of land be conveyed to Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc., the combined project site could support 60 to 80 new affordable homes (instead of 19 affordable rental homes currently proposed). It is also requested the Province of Ontario and/or the Minister of Education and Training to exempt this property and transaction from Ontario Regulation 444/98, Disposition of Surplus Property so that the land can be conveyed to Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. at nominal cost. Transferring this land to Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. would result in creating new deeply affordable, culturally-appropriate housing for the Indigenous community in Scarborough, and has the opportunity make a significant impact and contribute to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. In addition to this site, it is requested that the Province of Ontario and/or the Minister of Education and Training request the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Land Corporation to review their real estate holdings and, together with Indigenous organizations, identify surplus land that can be conveyed at nominal cost for the purpose of creating new affordable and supportive homes for Indigenous residents and other place keeping efforts. These actions will support the City's continued work with Miziwe Biik Development Corporation and other Indigenous housing providers to increase affordable housing opportunities for Indigenous residents. Supporting the creation of new permanently affordable and supportive homes by Indigenous organizations are tangible actions that reflect the City's commitment to truth, justice and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and as such contribute to meaningful implementation of the City's Reconciliation Action Plan.

Staff recommended

Councillor Ana Bailão, seconded by Councillor Paula Fletcher, recommends that: 1. City Council request the Province of Ontario and/or the Minister of Education and Training to: a. exempt the property and the transaction referred to in Part 2 below from the requirements of Ontario Regulation 444/98, Disposition of Surplus Property; and b. request the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Land Corporation to convey said property to Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc.

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at nominal cost for the purpose of building permanently affordable rental housing for Indigenous communities. 2. City Council request the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Land Corporation to prioritize the review of the request by Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. to convey a portion of the greenspace between the parking lot of the Maplewood High School and the property at 4201 and 4203 Kingston Road to Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc. 3. City Council request the Province of Ontario and/or the Minister of Education and Training to request the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Land Corporation to develop a list of surplus sites, in collaboration with the Housing Secretariat and Miziwe Biik Development Corporation, that can be conveyed to Indigenous housing operators at nominal cost for the purpose of building permanently affordable rental housing for Indigenous communities, and exempt such sites and transactions from the requirements of Ontario Regulation 444/98, Disposition of Surplus Property.

On the record

The item as the City filed it

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