To advance the City of Toronto’s commitments to truth, justice and reconciliation, the City has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select Indigenous housing organizations to lease and operate the 292-296 Parliament St. and 222 Spadina Ave. buildings for the purpose of providing affordable homes with supports for Indigenous Peoples. These new homes will contribute to the collective efforts to end chronic homelessness for Indigenous residents who are over-represented among people experiencing homelessness in Toronto, and to improve housing stability for Indigenous households at risk of homelessness.
Both buildings were purchased by the City and are currently undergoing renovations with funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the Government of Canada through Phase One of the Rapid Housing Initiative. These new homes are made possible as a result of strong partnerships between the City, Indigenous housing organizations, and the Federal and Provincial governments to create permanent and deeply affordable homes with supports for approximately 108 Indigenous households. On April 7, the Province of Ontario confirmed $15.4 million in operating funding for 2021 dedicated to supportive housing in Toronto.
The City, through the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan, has set a target of 5,200 new affordable and supportive homes for Indigenous communities to be delivered by Indigenous organizations. In October, City Council approved the Memorandum of Understanding with Miziwe Biik Development Corporation (MBDC) to support the delivery of these homes. Jointly, the City and MBDC will further advocate to other orders of government to allocate dedicated capital and operating funding required to achieve this target. More information about the City’s and MBDC partnership is available here
As one of the first steps in this new partnership, MBDC will join the City in undertaking this RFP, including evaluation of proposals. The Indigenous housing organizations selected through the RFP process will provide 24/7 staffing to deliver culturally-relevant housing and support services for Indigenous residents, including:
The RFP can be viewed here
It is expected that the new Indigenous housing organizations at both locations will be selected in early 2022.
Quotes:
“Supportive housing combines affordable housing with coordinated health and support services and can truly make a difference in peoples’ lives. I am very pleased that the City is continuing to take this approach with the next two new permanent supportive housing locations that will begin to provide homes for Indigenous residents as soon as early 2022. By ensuring that Indigenous residents will have culturally-supportive programs and services in place, we can help support positive housing outcomes for these residents.”
– Mayor John Tory
“I’m pleased to see that the City is working closely with Indigenous communities to ensure that permanent affordable and supportive homes will be operated by following a ‘By Indigenous, For Indigenous’ approach. This is a positive step forward in improving housing stability for Indigenous residents at risk of homelessness and towards the City’s commitments to reconciliation.”
– Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão (Davenport), Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee
“Miziwe Biik Development Corporation is very pleased to partner with the City on this housing solutions initiative. Through our years of work in the Indigenous housing community, we recognize that permanent housing with supports ensures a stability that goes beyond housing to our most vulnerable Indigenous population. With individualized tools in place, the focus on health and well-being, education, work and community can be explored without the constant worry of where one is going to sleep.”
– Lorna Lawrence, Executive Director, Miziwe Biik Development Corporation
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