Item - 2026.PH31.9

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to negotiate and enter into, on behalf of the City, Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreements (the City’s Contribution Agreements) with Alexandra Park Housing Co-operative, Beech Hall Housing Co-operative and Stanley Knowles Housing Co-operative to set out the terms of the operation of affordable housing, for the properties described in Table 1, in accordance with the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 513, Housing Programs, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

2. City Council exempt up to 104 affordable rental homes at 25 Eden Place, operated by Alexandra Park Housing Co-operative, from taxation for municipal and school purposes for the term of the Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement.

3. City Council exempt up to 127 affordable rental homes at 2-14 Humber Boulevard and 15-23 Cordella Avenue, operated by Beech Hall Housing Co-operative, from taxation for municipal and school purposes for the term of the Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement.

4. City Council exempt up to 103 affordable rental homes at 38 Orchard View Boulevard, operated by Stanley Knowles Housing Co-operative, from taxation for municipal and school purposes for the term of the Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement.

5. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to amend the Policy Framework for Ground Leases for Community Housing Providers to extend the allowable term length to up to 99 years, replacing the previously approved maximum of 49 years.

6. City Council authorize each of the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and Executive Director, Housing Development Office, severally to negotiate and enter into, on behalf of the City, Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreements (the City’s Contribution Agreements) or amendments to existing Contribution Agreements with Toronto Community Housing Corporation for financial incentives and to set out the terms of the operation of affordable rental housing at 175 Oak Street and 130 Augusta Avenue, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Development Office and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

7. City Council exempt up to 213 affordable rental homes at 175 Oak Street, operated by Toronto Community Housing Corporation, from taxation for municipal and school purposes for a period of 99 years, effective from the date as set out in the City's Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement.

8. City Council exempt up to 99 affordable rental homes at 130 Augusta Avenue, owned by Toronto Community Housing Corporation and operated by Atkinson Housing Co-operative, from taxation for municipal and school purposes for the term of the Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement.

9. City Council authorize the Chief Financial Officer to cancel or refund any taxes paid after the Effective Date of the Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreements, for the properties described in Table 1 and Table 2, with Alexandra Park Housing Co-operative, Beech Hall Housing Co-operative, Stanley Knowles Housing Co-operative, and Toronto Community Housing Corporation.

10. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to communicate and confirm to the Board of Directors of the Beech Hall Housing Co-operative that their seniors only-mandate is unaffected by the recommendations of the report on the Community Housing Partnership Renewal Program and the current Lease and Contribution Agreement negotiations, and that the Board of Directors will continue to set its own member selection policies and procedures for the acceptance of new senior residents, as they have for the past forty-seven years.
 

11. City Council direct the Executive Director Corporate Real Estate Management, and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to negotiate a new long-term Lease and Contribution Agreement with the Beech Hall Housing Co-operative taking in consideration the Lease Policy Framework with Community Housing Providers pursuant to the Community Housing Sector Modernization and Growth Strategy as described in 2024.PH13.9, and to work with the Co-operative and the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto to review the Co-operatives’ financial outlook and assist with creating a financial and capital repair plan that prioritizes ongoing viability and report the results of this work to the Planning and Committee in 2027 prior to the expiry of the current lease extension. 
 

12. City Council direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate and the Executive Director Housing Secretariat to work with the Beech Hall Housing Co-operative to create a joint Revitalization Committee to develop a long-term capital repair plan and funding strategy for the municipally owned buildings and land leased to Beech Hall Housing Co-operative, and report the results of this work to the Planning and Housing Committee in 2027 prior to the expiry of the current lease extension.

The City recognizes the important role community housing providers play in advancing its vision for housing, as set out in the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan (“HousingTO Plan”), and is actively engaged in preserving affordable housing for current and future residents. Maintaining and increasing access to affordable rents is further advanced through the Community Housing Sector Modernization and Growth Strategy (“Strategy”), as adopted by City Council in June 2024.

This report recommends approval of property tax exemptions for affordable homes within three co-operative housing sites and two properties owned by Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”), through execution of a Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement ("Contribution Agreement”). This will advance the goals of the Strategy related to maintaining affordability of the existing community housing stock. The City has consistently applied property tax exemptions as a financial tool to protect and expand its supply of affordable housing.

This report will advance work on the new lease agreements for Alexandra Park Housing Co-operative (“Alexandra Park Co-op”), Beech Hall Housing Co-operative ("Beech Hall Co-op") and Stanley Knowles Housing Co-operative ("Stanley Knowles Co-op") and authorize the execution of Contribution Agreements to secure affordability of existing rental homes. To further progress work on new lease agreements, this report recommends updating the Policy Framework for Ground Leases with Community Providers to permit lease terms of up to 99 years, replacing the current maximum of 49 years. A longer maximum term gives the City greater flexibility to assess on a case by case to safeguard significant public investment in Toronto’s affordable housing stock.

TCHC is undertaking multi-phased revitalizations of the Regent Park and Alexandra Park communities, integrating both affordable and community housing. Securing property tax exemptions for these developments is consistent with the financial benefits applied to other TCHC properties.

Securing affordability in the existing community housing stock, through a Contribution Agreement, is a dependable approach to achieve improved housing outcomes. As a financial tool for the City, property tax exemptions provide a viable and cost-effective approach to preserve the supply of affordable rental housing in Toronto.