Housing Offer Process

Eligible applicants are placed on the Centralized Waiting List. Applicants are served on a first-come, first-served basis, unless they have priority access. Housing providers use the Centralized Waiting List to select applicants for Rent-Geared-to-Income housing. 

To allow applicants on the Centralized Waiting List to make more informed housing choices, the City has implemented the choice-based housing offer process, which allows applicants to: 

  • see detailed information in MyAccesstoHousingTO about available buildings and units, including photos, move-in dates and accessibility features, and choose units of interest 
  • make informed decisions when selecting a unit 
  • sign up to receive email notifications when new information is posted 

The following applicants have been invited to participate in choice-based: 

  • applicants who applied before January 1, 2016 
  • senior applicants who applied before January 1, 2018 

Receiving an invitation to participate in a choice-based cycle is determined by: 

  • priority access that has been applied to your RGI application 
  • the date you applied for RGI housing, with oldest applications invited first 

Your invitation to participate in the choice-based process will be sent to the email address you provided in your MyAccesstoHousingTO account.

The City posts available vacancies for units in MyAccesstoHousingTO every two weeks. Once you have been invited to participate in the choice-based housing offer process, you will receive notifications through MyAccesstoHousingTO about choice-based cycles. In each cycle, applicants will receive an email notification letting them know when a cycle is starting, asking them to log into MyAccesstoHousingTO to participate in a choice-based cycle by reviewing available units and expressing interest. Applicants can express interest in as many units as meet their household’s needs. 

During a choice-based cycle applicants can expect to receive notifications by email and in their MyAccesstoHousingTO account when: 

  • a cycle is starting, and they can access available vacancy information 
  • a cycle is ending, and their deadline to express interest or change an expression of interest is coming up 
  • they are the top-ranked applicant (to let you know you can expect a call from the housing provider with an offer)
  • a summary of the cycle’s outcome is available 

Once the cycle is closed, applicants can no longer express interest in a unit.  

  • The applicant who expresses interest and is closest to the top of the waiting list will receive a notification by email and in their MyAccesstoHousingTO account and can expect to hear from a housing provider within two business days. 
  • Remaining applicants (those who do not receive a housing offer) will receive an email advising them of the outcome. 
  • Applicants who express interest and do not receive a housing offer at the end of a cycle can choose to express interest in available units in the next cycle or wait for future cycles. 
  • Applicants on the Centralized Waiting List must express interest in units or they will not receive a housing offer. 

Single-Offer Rule

In compliance with the Housing Services Act, the City moved to a Single Offer Rule in 2022.  

This means that since January 1, 2022, applicants are eligible to receive one offer of suitable RGI housing. If an applicant refuses this offer, they will be removed from the Centralized Waiting List. Applicants are eligible to re-apply, but they will receive a new application date and will start at the bottom of the Centralized Waiting List. If a file is cancelled due to a refusal, applicants have 30 days to request a review of the decision 

To participate in the housing offer process, ensure that all your contact information is correct in your MyAccesstoHousingTO account to avoid missing your offer. Once you’ve received your invitation to participate in the choice-based housing offer process, you can: 

  1. Log onto MyAccesstoHousingTO to receive your invitation. 
  2. View available units for which you are eligible under “Current Cycle” 
  3. Vacancy postings will include information about the building such as photos and building amenities and detailed information about vacant units, such as move-in dates, floor plans, photos and accessibility information. 
  4. Express interest using MyAccesstoHousingTO by selecting units that meet your household’s needs. Do not express interest in vacancies that you do not wish to accept, as you will only receive one offer of housing, as per the Single Offer Rule [LINK].  

See the video below for step-by-step instructions on how to participate in the choice-based housing offer process and express interest in available units in the MyAccesstoHousingTO applicant portal. 

When a cycle closes, the top-ranked applicant can expect to be contacted by a housing provider within two to three business days, after which applicants have two business days to respond. If you do not respond to an offer or refuse an offer of housing, you will be removed from the Centralized Waiting List. 

Please ensure you have these documents ready to keep the housing offer process progressing smoothly. Documents requested may include the following: 

  • Notice of Assessment (NOA) or Proof of Income statement from the most recent income tax return (for all household members 16 years of age or older who are not full-time students) 
  • Current Status in Canada – Canadian Citizenship (e.g. Canadian birth certificate, Canadian Passport, Canadian Citizenship card), refugee status, permanent resident 
  • Current source of income, e.g. employment income (employment letter, paystubs), social assistance (E.I. statements, benefit statements – ODSP, OW) 
  • For any household members who receive OW or ODSP, in addition to the NOA or POI statement, a recent Statement of Assistance (or a copy of the proof of social assistance from the recipients’ MyBenefits account) benefit.
  • For any household that had or has arrears/debts to a social housing provider in the province of Ontario may need to provide proof that the arrears have been paid in full or a re-payment agreement in place in good standing. 

Once you have accepted an offer of housing you will be scheduled to go see the unit. A leasing appointment will be arranged, and all members of the household 16 years of age and older must be present at the lease signing. You can then prepare to move into your new home. 

If you have expressed interest in a vacancy and are not at the top of the waiting list for that building, you will: 

  • receive a notification with the outcome of that cycle 
  • Be informed of upcoming cycles when they begin 
  • be able to participate in future choice-based cycles until receive an offer of housing 

The average wait time per unit size is shown in the following table: 

Unit Size  Average time on waitlist* 
Studio – Senior  8 years 
Studio  10 years 
1-bedroom  14 years 
2-bedroom  13 years 
3+-bedroom  15 years 

*Information is based on 2022 data. 

Some buildings have an approved mandate to house a particular group of people. In buildings with approved mandates, households who apply for units must include at least one person who qualifies for the mandate. For example, some mandates require that tenants be seniors, artists or member of a specific cultural community. View a list of buildings with mandates and find out how to apply. 

Seniors’ Housing

Households on the Centralized Waiting List with at least one member aged 59 or older are eligible for buildings with a seniors’ mandate.