June 2, 2017

The Honourable Kathleen Wynne, M.P.P.

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Premier of Ontario
Room 281, Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A1

Dear Premier:

I am writing to you today to draw your attention to the social housing crisis in the City of
Toronto.

At City Council's May meeting, my colleagues voted unanimously to inform Members of

Provincial Parliament about the current and future state of Toronto Community Housing
units in their ridings.

My Council colleagues and I firmly believe that every Toronto Member of Provincial
Parliament should be aware of the impacts that an unfunded Toronto Community Housing
capital repair plan will have on constituents in their riding, including some of our most
vulnerable residents.

As I'm sure you know, I have been outspoken in the need for all levels of government to
come together and fund the backlog of housing repairs. Without proper investment from all
three levels of government, many of these homes will decline into a further state of
disrepair putting us in a position to have to close them in a city where housing is
desperately needed by so many.

In 2013, City Council approved a 10-year capital repair plan that envisioned all three levels
of government contributing a one-third share to the state of good repair backlog totalling
$2.6 billion. Since that time, the City of Toronto has contributed close to $1 billion to the
repair plan from City-derived sources. The federal government, in its most recent budget,

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pledged substantial amounts of funding for housing, including repairs. The only level of
government missing to date, apart from a limited amount restricted to energy retrofits, is
the Province of Ontario.

In 2023, the 10-year capital plan will come to an end and more than half of Toronto
Community Housing's portfolio will be in jeopardy. Around 7,200 units are expected to
close while roughly 24,000 units will be at immediate risk of closing. In human terms, more
than 45,000 people are at risk of losing their homes.

This is an urgent situation units are already slated for closure. Without immediate
support, we expect that 400 units will be at risk of closing this year and 600 units will be at
risk of closing in 2018. That's 1,900 of our most vulnerable residents at risk of losing their
homes in two years. The decline will be rapid and it will impact all of Toronto. There would
also be severe impacts on the health care system, social services and the justice system, all
funded by the Province.

You should know that more than a third of the units in critical and poor condition were
downloaded by the Province with no money in the bank and with the City of Toronto on the
hook for provincial debt costs associated with those buildings. This issue was further
compounded by the unilateral decision of the Wynne government to eliminate Toronto
Pooling Compensation, which was a fair way to ease the disproportionate social housing
burden borne by Toronto relative to other Ontario municipalities (Toronto has 110,000
individuals living in social housing, which would, by itself, be the 24th largest city in the
Province before Thunder Bay).

I have attached a chart which shows in detail the impact on social housing without proper
investment across Toronto. In your riding of Don Valley West, a total of 128 units are
expected to close while 425 units will be at risk of closing within the next five years. While
some ridings will be affected more than others, by the end of the 10-year capital plan every
riding across Toronto will lose units.

I'm sure we agree that each and every elected official has a responsibility to look out for the
best interests of all their residents. I am asking you to write a letter, request a meeting or
raise a question in the Legislature of the Honourable Chris Ballard, Minister of Housing. Be
a champion for Toronto, join us in fixing these important public assets and help save
housing for those in your community who need our help the most.

Sincerely,

John Tory
Mayor of Toronto

c. The Honourable Chris Ballard, Minister of Housing

Ana Bailo, City Councillor, Torontos Housing Advocate
Jaye Robinson, Councillor Ward 25, Don Valley West
Jon Burnside, Councillor Ward 26, Don Valley West