Creating the City of Toronto Bi-Annual Affordable Housing Awards of Excellence - by Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Gord Perks

Key to the delivery of new affordable, rent-controlled and market rental homes is the role of the federal and provincial governments in providing capital funding and financing, including where necessary, operating funding to provide deeper affordability and supports. The essential ingredient in the delivery of new rental homes in Toronto are the many co-operative, non-profit and private sector partners who step up with their proposals, who take the financial risk to deliver new homes, who co-ordinate the construction, and who manage new rental communities over the long-term. This motion proposes the establishment of the City of Toronto Bi-Annual Affordable Housing Awards of Excellence, to recognize and celebrate proponents of affordable rental housing in Toronto. The motion also recommends that the City of Toronto, through the Housing Development Office and the Housing Secretariat, assist the Mayor's Office in establishing the Affordable Housing Awards of Excellence. Such assistance to include establishing a process for nominees, the creation of an external independent jury, and the establishment categories of awards to be given and a ceremony where the award recipients will be celebrated and their accomplishments highlighted. To initiate the first awards, several volunteers have been working hard to design and create the inaugural awards to be first awarded in early 2027. Susan Ashdown at the Ontario College of Art and Design has worked with Mahboubeh Zarmehr to extract the stain glass from the windows of the former Woodgreen Community Church on Queen Street East and created the stain glass award modelled on the recently opened Riverdale Housing Co-operative at 685 Queen Street East. Peter Flemming formerly of Sheridon College, has worked alongside the creative team of Susan and Mahboubeh to create the wooden base, which the stain glass artwork will be displayed.

3. City Council formally thank Susan Ashdown, Mahboubeh Zarmehr and Peter Flemming for their volunteer work in designing and creating the inaugural affordable housing awards.