Ontario Construction News staff writer
Toronto City Council voted to endorse a plan to quickly move forward with the first two Toronto locations under the Government of Canada’s Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). These sites at 222 Spadina Ave. and 877 Yonge St. will create about 334 homes – with 127 ready for occupancy in June and the balance later this year.
The city acquired the former hotel at 222 Spadina Ave. in April to create affordable supportive housing as part of RHI. The existing development is a 10-storey mixed commercial-residential building containing commercial uses, 124 existing residential dwelling units, and 92 hotel rooms on the third, fourth and fifth floors. Interior renovations and alterations on the hotel room floors will convert the existing 92 hotel rooms to 84 self-contained apartments, shared laundry, a communal area and programming space, and a new outdoor amenity space on the fifth floor.
The 877 Yonge St. property is a 15-storey building that will undergo interior renovations and \ to create approximately 250 supportive homes.
“These two sites will provide approximately 334 homes with critical support services. All three levels of government are involved here and committed to providing more housing for people as soon as possible. This will help us help people as quickly as possible and continue to address homelessness,” said Mayor John Tory
It is anticipated that expediting the process will mean 300 people are housed by the end of this year.
“It’s up to all three levels of government to tackle the urgent need for affordable housing in our city,” said Councillor Joe Cressy. “By working with the Federal and Provincial Governments, we will be able to turn a private hotel and retirement residence into 334 deeply-affordable apartments with support services for people in our city.”