Item - 2025.MA6.5

The Toronto Music Advisory Committee:

1. Endorsed the recommendation of City Council to the Housing Secretariat to ensure that workers in the arts, film, television, and culture sector are included as a priority group in the new Choice Based Housing Access System for new affordable rental housing and request that Toronto Music Advisory Committee be part of the consultation in the development of the new Choice Based Access System.

Dear Chair and Members of the Toronto Music Advisory Committee,

We are all aware that housing affordability is a big issue for those who work in the arts sector and their ability to live and work in our city.  With some success, I have worked to have artist housing designated as a part of affordable housing projects in my ward. 5 out of 26 coop apartments in the Riverdale Co-op redevelopment were designated and filled by artists. 16 of 40 coop apartments in new Don Somerville redevelopment are set aside for artist and cultural workers. The Film, Television, and Digital Media Advisory Board included film workers to be included as a priority group in the affordable housing plan in the McCleary District Precinct Plan that was approved at Economic and Community Development Committee on September 18th, 2024.

I was pleased that City Council supported my motion at the recent Budget Council to formally include sector housing as part of new application system being developed to for affordable housing across the city:  “City Council request the executive Director, Housing Secretariat, as part of the $4.5 million within the 2025 Capital Budget for the Housing secretariat to develop a new Choice Based Housing Access System for new affordable rental housing to provide for the inclusion of sector-specific resident targeting for important groups such as workers in the arts, film, television and culture sector.”

As this important work moves forward, I kindly request the Toronto Music Advisory Committee’s support of this motion and initiative. By doing so, we can work together to improve access to affordable housing for workers in the arts, film, television, and culture sectors.