Item - 2024.PH15.6

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with relevant City Divisions, the Accessible Housing Working Group, community housing providers, private developers, and tenant representatives, to update the City’s Affordable Rental Housing Design Guidelines (“the Guidelines”) by the third quarter 2025 to support the delivery of more accessible rental homes for Toronto residents with disabilities.

2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, as part of the process described in Recommendation 1, to include in the revised Guidelines:

a. A new set of universal design standards for affordable rental units, substantially based on the recommendations of the Accessible Housing Working Group included in Column C of Table 1 in Attachment 1 to the report (September 12, 2024) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat.

b. a new standard of accessibility for barrier-free units which exceeds minimum accessibility requirements for barrier-free units contained in the Ontario Building Code;

3. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to include in their upcoming report on parking regulations in the fourth quarter of 2024, recommended changes to Zoning By-law 569-2013, that facilitate the creation of additional accessible parking spaces, by providing exemptions to standard parking requirements, as part of accessibility retrofit and improvement projects.

4. City Council request the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation to direct the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”), in consultation  with the Responsible Personal Accessibility in Toronto Housing Committee (R-PATH), to evaluate the feasibility of implementing an enhanced accessibility modification program as part of TCHC’s turnover renovation program, to gradually support increasing the number of accessible units within the City’s social housing portfolio, and report back with any additional authorities or financial impacts as part of future years budget process.

5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with TCHC, Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation, and community housing providers, to undertake an inventory of community housing units in 2025 to consistently establish the accessibility features within the existing community housing stock, for the purpose of improving the unit advertising and matching process with households on the centralized waitlist that are eligible for a modified unit.

6. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to continue to consult with the Accessible Housing Working Group to provide advice and oversight to the development of revised Guidelines as described in Recommendations 1 and 2 above.

7. City Council re-iterate its request to the Government of Ontario to improve the adequacy and structure of social assistance programs, based on data and evidence, so that recipients are better able to meet their basic needs, including the high cost of housing in Toronto, and to equalize the benefit rate across the Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).

Toronto is Canada’s largest and most diverse city, and home to over 476,000 seniors and over 570,000 people with disabilities. While Toronto is facing a housing and homelessness crisis impacting residents across the City, individuals with disabilities face additional barriers to accessing housing that is affordable, accessible, and livable. These challenges include a shortage of housing options that allow safe and independent living for residents with diverse abilities, inconsistent standards and requirements for accessibility across government programs, and a lack of universal design features that accommodate diverse needs.

In 2019 City Council adopted the Toronto Housing Charter and the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan, and committed the City to furthering the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing. This approach is grounded in the principle of all residents having a right to housing that is accessible and takes into account the specific needs of historically disadvantaged and marginalized groups. A human rights-based approach also engages and empowers rights-holders in the process to identify and/or implement the actions required to address barriers. The HousingTO Action Plan outlined Strategic Priorities and Actions, including to develop interventions that will improve housing outcomes for specific populations, including people with disabilities.

To advance this priority, in 2020 City Council directed the City to establish a working group consisting of community members and advocates with lived experience in accessibility, staff from the Housing Secretariat, City Planning, Toronto Building, CreateTO and stakeholders from the development industry, to explore the feasibility of increasing the percentage of accessible units and incorporating universal design features for new housing development projects part of the City's Housing Now Initiative. The Accessible Housing Working Group (AHWG) was formed to advance this mandate. In 2022, City Council expanded the working group’s scope beyond Housing Now to include other accessible housing-related matters.

The AHWG has met over 25 times since being established in 2021 to undertake analysis and provide advice to the City, including reviewing existing technical standards for accessibility included in the Ontario Building Code and the City's Affordable Housing Design Guidelines, as well as to conduct assessments of the various industry standards that exist for accessibility. The knowledge and insights of the AHWG members have been instrumental in identifying opportunities to improve the accessibility and livability of new homes, the existing barriers faced by Toronto residents with disabilities in accessing affordable rental housing, as well as actions that the City could take to increase accessibility in the City's existing rental housing stock.

The recommendations in this report were developed in close consultation with the AHWG, who led the process of shaping them. The AHWG provided analysis and advice through information sessions and workshops, with a membership that grew from the original 13 members to include over 45 of the industry's most prominent accessibility experts, advocates, stakeholders, and builders. Out of these sessions, seven recommendations have emerged that seek to align Toronto with leading Canadian and global cities in their approach to accessible housing. Principally, these recommendations will improve housing outcomes for Toronto residents with disabilities by:

• Updating the City’s Affordable Rental Housing Design Guidelines with the advice of the AHWG to improve the accessibility performance of new rental homes;
•  Implementing a set of design standards, based on Universal Design principles, for affordable rental homes in City-led and City-supported rental housing developments;
• Developing a new City standard which exceeds minimum accessibility requirements for Barrier-Free units contained in the Ontario Building Code to ensure these units are not just visitable, but truly livable for people with disabilities;
• Taking action in partnership with community housing providers to improve the accessibility of existing rental homes, including creating a consistent accessibility inventory across the portfolio of community housing in the City, and;
• Improving access pathways to accessible homes for people with disabilities, with advice from the AHWG, to better match residents looking for an accessible home with affordable housing options that meet their needs.

As Toronto's population continues to age, the need for rental housing that is both accessible and affordable will continue to grow. Taking action to improve the accessibility of new and existing homes respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will help enhance independence, quality of life and equitable outcomes for residents with disabilities. In addition, this work will support the City in furthering the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing.

While Toronto takes action, the insufficient rates of social assistance available through the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) remains a core barrier preventing low-income Torontonians with disabilities from being able to afford an accessible home. The level of financial support provided by ODSP has not kept up with the rising costs of living. In 2023, the average market rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Toronto was $1,708, and actual asking rents for vacant apartments were much higher. Meanwhile, a single person receiving ODSP is provided $556 per month for shelter costs. This report recommends Council reiterate its many previous requests that the Government of Ontario improve the adequacy and structure of social assistance programs so recipients are able to meet their basic needs including the high cost of housing in Toronto.