As part of its Tenants First project, launched in 2018 to improve the quality and services of TCHC, the city planned to transfer its so-called “scattered housing portfolio” of 637 single-family homes to non-profit social housing providers. Then, a couple years ago, TCHC came to tell Foster that his building was being sold. If he lost the apartment, his whole family would be upended. When another brother was “renovicted,” he moved in with Foster too. One of his brothers had struggled with addiction and was currently unhoused Foster let him stay with him when he needed. Foster also occasionally provided a safe harbour for his siblings. But his other neighbours, some of them elderly, didn’t have as many options. “I likely would have had to leave the city altogether,” he says, “given current rents.” He was lucky, he had a job, working in health care. Finding another affordable apartment in the downtown core would be extremely difficult. (According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto increased almost 47 percent between the time Foster signed his lease and fall 2021.) He felt that the city had a long history of selling public assets for short-term gain, and feared that, with time, it might sell off buildings like his. While he was perfectly content in his home, he became increasingly concerned, as Toronto’s rents and real estate prices skyrocketed around him, about its long-term stability. More worrisome to him was a growing sense of precarity. There were hiccups-a lease that initially shifted inappropriate costs onto tenants, and later, some neglected repairs-but Foster chalked those up to the agency’s massive bureaucracy. TCHC may not have had the greatest reputation, but as far as Foster was concerned, it turned out to be a decent enough landlord. Now, TCHC owns and manages about 60,000 rental housing units, but it is a highly politicized entity, its executive and budget consistently shaped by leadership at City Hall. ![]() For years, the Harris government had been attacking and undermining affordable housing: in the mid-90s, it cancelled hundreds of construction contracts in 2000, it was the first provincial government to download full responsibility for social housing to municipalities. The rent, which currently sits around $1500 a month, was within his means.Ĭreated in 2002 in the wake of Mike Harris’ forced amalgamation of the city, the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) combined two other agencies to become the second-largest housing provider in North America. It was, Foster said later, a “godsend”-close to school, downtown, the TTC. He stumbled across the apartment through a friend of a friend, but was so excited to find a convenient and affordable place, he signed a lease before he’d even set foot in it (a glimpse through the windows was enough). When Foster found the place, back in 2008, he was a second-year student at the University of Toronto. For a while, the 34-year-old had a roommate, but currently, it’s just him and his dog, a rescue named Abby. The building is a six-unit, market-rent triplex at Bloor and Bathurst. Pro tip: make a post-hike reservation for a decadent meal of lobster and crab at the legendary Fishman Lobster Clubhouse Restaurant, within easy driving distance of the park.Anthony Foster has lived in the same two-bedroom apartment in a Toronto Community Housing building for 14 years. ![]() In winter, you may catch a glimpse of a snowy owl, hairy woodpecker, turkey or maybe even a coyote or deer. If you’re more inclined to take this time to reflect on the past year and set goals for the new year while enjoying Mother Nature, hit up Rouge National Urban Park.Īt 79 square kilometres, it’s one of the largest urban parks in North America, and you’ll find more than 12 kilometres of trails to choose from. Keep in mind you’ll want to save room for dessert options include the restaurant’s famed 13-layer chocolate hazelnut King’s Cake.įind clarity with a New Year’s Eve wilderness hike Mains include Canadian lobster with squid ink pasta, AAA tenderloin and Wagyu short rib, or roasted black cod with leeks (have everyone at your table choose a different one so that you can taste test each dish!). Regis Hotel, where they’ll have live music as the soundtrack to a gourmet feast. Splash out on NYE dinner at LOUIX LOUIS, located on the 31st floor of the St. ![]() Indulge in an over-the-top New Year’s Eve menu
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |