On January 16, Social Planning Toronto, in partnership with community organizations, held a virtual Housing Advocacy Workshop that examined the current state of housing and tenant rights in Toronto, and the municipal policies and programs available to support tenants, prevent displacement and homelessness, preserve affordable housing, and ensure safe and adequate housing for renters.
Presenters from Kensington Market Community Land Trust, York South Weston Tenant Union, Right to Housing TO, and Don Valley Community Legal Services highlighted how the City of Toronto’s policies, programs and services for tenants have stepped up in recent years, at a time when the province has been failing renters and the unhoused. The discussion explored how the 2026 City Budget may affect funding for key tenant and housing programs, including MURA, RentSafeTO, the Multi-Tenant Housing, the Toronto Rent Bank, and more. Presenters also shared specific budget recommendations that participants could use in their deputations to the Budget Committee and general advocacy.
A full recording of the workshop is available. A summary of the presentations, along with key recommendations for the 2026 City budget are outlined below. Access the full slideshow.
- Shannon Spencer (Social Planning Toronto): Welcome [00:00];
- Melissa Wong (Social Planning Toronto): Budget Overview [12:29];
- Dominique Russell (Kensington Market Community Land Trust): MURA Program [23:42];
- Chiara Padovani (York South Weston Tenant Union): Tenant Advocacy [39:20];
- Jonella Evangelista (Right to Housing TO): Multi-tenant Housing [57:35];
- Laura Anonen (Don Valley Community Legal Services): Municipal Programs & Services [1:15:45];
Summary and Budget Asks
Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Program (MURA)
Presenter: Dominique Russell (Kensington Market Community Land Trust)
Dominique outlined Kensington Market Community Land Trust’s (KMCLT) efforts to acquire and preserve affordable housing in Toronto. KMCLT also advocates for commercial affordability while supporting local businesses, tenant rights, encampment supports, and affordability in new developments.
She emphasized the need for increased funding to expand the MURA program—an idea that comes from the community land trusts in Toronto—to help non-profit organizations acquire existing affordable housing. Since launching in 2021, the MURA program has provided more than $165 million in funding to community housing providers and has preserved over 1000 affordable rental homes across Toronto. It is significantly more cost effective to preserve existing affordable units than to build new.
Dominique underscored the importance of community advocacy and of protecting vulnerable buildings from purchase by speculative investors such as Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).
2026 City Budget Asks
- $100 Million invested in the MURA program for 2026;
- Commit to sustainable and reliable funding for MURA in the 10-year capital plan.
Tenant Rights & Advocacy
Presenter: Chiara Padovani (York South Weston Tenant Union)
Chiara highlighted York South Weston Tenant Union’s (YSWTU) tenant organizing wins in reducing renovictions, contesting above guideline increases (AGIs), holding landlords accountable for safety and maintenance standards, and protecting tenant rights and affordable housing. She also noted how municipal policies, such as the City of Toronto’s new Rental Renovictions by-law, can support meaningful protection of tenants.
2026 City Budget Asks
- Effective enforcement of the Maximum Indoor Temperature By-law (which will hopefully be approved by Council in May 2026), including by providing resources for tenants facing air conditioning-related issues with their landlords;
- Expand RentSafeTO to expedite remedial action taken on by the City with respect to unresolved maintenance issues and by-law violations by property owners;
- Ensure consistent enforcement of fines for building standards violations to hold property owners accountable;
- Require rent control for any housing projects funded or developed on publicly owned land.
Multi-Tenant Housing Advocacy
Presenter: Jonella Evangelista (Right to Housing TO)
Jonella presented on the Multi-Tenant Housing (MTH) framework, adopted by the Toronto City Council in 2022, which came into effect on March 31, 2024.
The City defines MTHs, commonly referred to as rooming houses, as buildings with four or more rooms rented to separate people. Tenants may share the kitchen and/or washroom, but they do not live together as a single housekeeping unit.
Right to Housing TO (R2HTO) highlighted that MTHs play a critical role in protecting and expanding affordable housing in Toronto. However, several concerns remain, including the six-room cap, potential sales or conversions by operators, and unlicensed MTHs, contributing to housing loss and tenant displacement. Additionally, the framework currently focuses on minimum safety standards, leaving broader issues like accessibility and climate resilience unaddressed.
From a human rights perspective, R2HTO advocates for implementing the MTH framework in ways that prevent displacement and preserve affordable housing. They recommend increasing investment in MTH preservation, strengthening monitoring and enforcement, and providing more proactive support for tenants. Read about R2HTO’s MTH advocacy on their website.
2026 City Budget Asks
- Develop targeted programs and policies to support MTH renters facing displacement, such as emergency and/or portable housing benefits, alternative housing solutions, and/or system navigation;
- Increase funding for the Toronto Tenant Support Program (TTSP) to conduct more proactive outreach to MTH renters and provide ongoing engagement opportunities;
- Increase funding for and improve access to the MTH Renovation & Repair Program to help operators come into compliance with the MTH Framework;
- Prioritize and maximize funding for the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) Program to preserve affordable rental housing across the city, including by supporting community housing providers to acquire MTHs at risk of sale or conversion.
Municipal Tenant Programs and Services
Presenter: Laura Anonen (Don Valley Community Legal Services)
In Laura’s presentation, she differentiated between the municipality's and the province's roles and responsibilities in supporting and protecting tenants and affordable rental units.
She reviewed some of the City of Toronto’s tenant support programs and services, providing details on how RentSafeTO, the Toronto Rent Bank, Eviction Prevention in the Community (EPIC), the Toronto Tenant Support program (TTSP), and the MURA program work. Laura also noted the big win for renters with the recent commitment by City Council in December 2025 in developing a by-law for maximum indoor temperatures in residential buildings.
2026 City Budget Asks
- Continued and increased funding for these programs to support tenants and prevent homelessness to address the gaps and failures by the provincial government.
Summary of Budget Asks
- Prioritize and maximize funding for the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) Program to preserve affordable rental housing across the city, including by supporting community housing providers to acquire MTHs at risk of sale or conversion;
- Invest $100 million in the MURA program for 2026;
- Commit to sustainable and reliable funding for MURA in the 10-year capital plan;
- Effectively enforce of the Maximum Indoor Temperature By-law (which will hopefully be approved by Council in May 2026), including by providing resources for tenants facing air conditioning-related issues with their landlords;
- Expand RentSafeTO to expedite remedial action taken on by the City with respect to unresolved maintenance issues and by-law violations by property owners;
- Ensure consistent enforcement of fines for building standards violations to hold property owners accountable;
- Require rent control for any housing projects funded or developed on publicly owned land;
- Develop targeted programs and policies to support MTH renters facing displacement, such as emergency and/or portable housing benefits, alternative housing solutions, and/or system navigation;
- Increase funding for the Toronto Tenant Support Program (TTSP) to conduct more proactive outreach to MTH renters and provide ongoing engagement opportunities;
- Increase funding for and improve access to the MTH Renovation & Repair Program to help operators come into compliance with the MTH Framework;
- Continued and increased funding for these programs to support tenants and prevent homelessness to address the gaps and failures by the provincial government.
More Links and Resources
- Access the full slideshow
- Watch our Deputations 101 Workshop
- Access the deputation template
- See all our budget resources
Have Your Say at the City of Toronto Budget Committee’s Public Hearings/Deputations
Speak to Budget Committee on January 20 and 21 in person or by video conference.
To register to speak, email [email protected] or call 416-392-4666. Please choose a preferred day and timeslot (see list below) and register to speak by 4:30 p.m. the day before the meeting. Registered speakers will be provided with instructions about how to join the meeting.
Learn how to make a deputation by watching a recording of our Deputation Workshop.
Access our Deputation Template.
The meetings will stream live on the City Council YouTube channel.
City Hall – 2nd Floor, Committee Room 1
(100 Queen St. W.)
Tuesday, January 20
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6 p.m. onwards
North York Civic Centre – Council Chamber
(5100 Yonge St.)
Tuesday, January 20
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6 p.m. onwards
Scarborough Civic Centre – Council Chamber
(150 Borough Dr.)
Wednesday, January 21
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6 p.m. onwards
Etobicoke Civic Centre – Council Chamber
(399 The West Mall)
Wednesday, January 21
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6 p.m. onwards