This deputation was presented to the Executive Committee on Sept 29, 2025 in response to item EX26.13 - New Cuts to Federal and Provincial Support for Housing by Melissa Wong, Director, Engagement & Strategic Initiatives. The item was adopted by the committee without amendments. It will be considered by the City Council on October 8, 9, and 10, 2025.
Thank you Mayor Chow and members of the Executive Committee,
My name is Melissa Wong. I’m the Director of Engagement & Strategic Initiatives at Social Planning Toronto, a charitable nonprofit dedicated to addressing social and economic justice in our city through civic engagement, community convening, and social research.
I am extremely disappointed that I have had to come here today to speak on this item. In December 2023, my Executive Director co-authored an op-ed, where we implored the federal government to fulfil its duty and human rights commitments by sufficiently funding the shelter system that was burgeoning with asylum seekers and refugees. In that op-ed, we also called on the federal government to fund its share of the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit.
Almost two years later, the housing crisis has continued to worsen as the loss of affordable housing significantly outpaces the build of new affordable housing. It is still unfathomable to me that in Toronto, there are over 10,000 people without housing every single night.
Asylum seekers continue to arrive in Toronto each day and our obligations to house and shelter these individuals has not decreased in the past two years.
It’s the end of September right now. Within a few weeks, the temperature will begin dropping and I dread the thought of even more people risking death by sleeping outside because there are no shelter beds available.
The City has been developing plans and strategies to build a more sustainable and dignified shelter system and is doing everything possible to create more affordable housing, but this is not something that can be funded by property taxes alone and won’t be built by the end of this year. The IHAP funding and the Canada Ontario Housing Benefits are literal life lines right now.
I meet regularly with community partners to learn about the challenges they face serving clients that are looking for affordable housing. If you listen to my colleagues, you would think COHB benefits were exclusive concert tickets. Everyone’s trying to find out how they can get their hands on one and which organization has an allocation, but it’s not for a fun evening out, it’s to help their client who’s been sleeping in their car, or the young person that’s been in their shelter for over six months find a home.
Two years ago, the province and federal government showed up for Toronto and provided the funding necessary. I hope they can come to their senses again and do the right thing.