Finding and securing affordable housing in Toronto is becoming more challenging each year for students at our academic institutions.
To help understand the current housing needs of post-secondary Toronto students and develop meaningful solutions, the City has developed an Academic Housing. This strategy supports the goals of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan and the Housing Action Plan (2022-2026).
The City of Toronto engaged with the academic community across the city between September 2024 and January 2025. This engagement work was undertaken to better understand the housing experiences and needs of those studying and working in Toronto’s academic institutions and was integral to informing the development of the City’s Academic Housing Strategy.
To ensure the Academic Housing Strategy was informed by the experiences and needs of students, faculty and staff across the city, The City of Toronto led a variety of engagement activities including an Academic Housing Survey, campus drop-in sessions across all of Toronto’s publicly funded academic institutions, key informant interviews, as well as self-guided small group discussions (‘Consultation in a Box’) and virtual focus groups.
Engage students, faculty, staff and academic housing experts to inform plan.
Draft the Academic Housing Strategy and review with partners.
Academic Housing Strategy presented to City Council.