Featured Guest
You’ll find this guest among our growing roll of Urban Champions.
Murtaza Haider
Associate Professor, Real Estate Management
Lilian Chau
CEO, Entre Nous Femmes Housing
Kira Gerwing
Chief Real Estate Investment Officer, Sacha Investments Ltd.
Ene Underwood
CEO, Habitat for Humanity, Greater Toronto
5 Key
Takeaways
A roundup of the most compelling ideas, themes and quotes from this candid conversation
1. The need for supply
All of the panellists identified a lack of adequate housing supply as a significant factor in Canada’s current affordability crisis. The panellists cited several specific issues with housing supply during the previous 25 years: too few units built, not enough diversity in the types of units built, the reduction in government funding for social housing, financial restrictions for not-for-profit organizations, and zoning obstacles for developers. As the proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second-best time is now.” With that spirit, the panellists suggested actionable strategies that could immediately ramp up Canada’s housing supply.
2. Leveraging the balance sheets
Kira Gerwing, the Chief Real Estate Investment Officer at Sacha Investments Ltd, described a model that would position community housing providers as the delivery agent of choice for all affordable housing that gets built in Canada. If the investment from different levels of government went into stabilizing the balance sheets of not-for-profit housing operators (or developers, asset managers and property managers structured as not-for-profits), there would be an incredible opportunity to leverage those balance sheets. With a robust set of assets on the books, not-for-profit housing operators could have greater capacity and flexibility to purchase additional new homes and also acquire aging rental properties that are being lost and redeveloped into market housing.
3. Buffering against interest rate hikes
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries reduced lending rates to record-low levels. Over the last few months, interest rates have jumped; moreover, experts expect rates to continue rising throughout 2022-23. To support the not-for-profit housing sector in this current environment, Lilian Chau, the CEO of Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society in Vancouver, advocated for CMHC to cap their interest rates for their programs at 2-2.5%. A rate cap could be considered not as a loss, but as a tactical investment back into the not-for-profit housing sector.
4. Navigating around NIMBYs and NIMTOs
Most people are familiar with NIMBYism, the “Not In My Back Yard” tendency for people to oppose new housing density in their neighbourhoods. Murtaza Haider, Professor of Real Estate Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, explained the impact of NIMTOs — “Not In My Term of Office” municipal councillors who might support new developments but remain beholden to their voting base of homeowners. Increasing supply in existing urban communities requires interventions that support developers’ ability to create new housing of various types and scales: implementation of as-of-right zoning policies, consideration for taller projects, and streamlining of approval processes.
5. Building for future sustainability
Ene Underwood, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area, referenced a Haudenosaunee philosophy which guides leaders to consider how their decisions will impact seven generations into the future. With that idea in mind, Ene articulated the importance of developing strategies that not only address immediate-term housing need, but also support long-term sustainability goals. For example, how might new housing developments interface with current and planned transit systems and environmental targets. Furthermore, definitions of “affordable” housing shift over time, so plans should maintain flexibility to deal with evolving home prices, tax implications, and governmental fees into the future. |
Full Panel
Transcript
Note to readers: This video session was transcribed using auto-transcribing software. Manual editing was undertaken in an effort to improve readability and clarity. Questions or concerns with the transcription can be directed to events@canurb.org with “transcription” in the subject line.
Full Audience
Chatroom Transcript
Note to reader: Chat comments have been edited for ease of readability. The text has not been edited for spelling or grammar. For questions or concerns, please contact events@canurb.org with “Chat Comments” in the subject lin
From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://canurb.org/citytalk
12:02:03 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Welcome! Folks, please change your chat settings to “everyone” so everyone can see your comments. Attendees: where are you tuning in from today?
12:02:36 From Kristin Lillyman to Everyone:
Toronto
12:02:44 From Nicole Hanson to Everyone:
Mississauga
12:02:53 From Natasha Douglas to Everyone:
Toronto 🙂
12:02:53 From Catalina Parada to Everyone:
Tkaronto
12:02:57 From Zara Brown to Everyone:
Hamilton
12:03:01 From Susan Lightfoot to Everyone:
Unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations (Vancouver)
12:03:09 From Mary Gelinas to Everyone:
Parkdale, Toronto!
12:03:10 From Jeanny Gonzalez to Everyone:
Toronto
12:03:15 From Tim Ross to Everyone:
Toronto
12:03:20 From Sarah Burrell to Everyone:
Toronto
12:03:29 From Henry Muriithi to Everyone:
Toronto
12:03:31 From Steven Gammon to Everyone:
Toronto
12:03:37 From Jhannell Edwards to Hosts and panelists:
Ottawa!
12:03:39 From Scott Alain to Everyone:
Ottawa
12:03:39 From Hannah Brais to Everyone:
Tiohti:áke, or Montréal
12:03:39 From Julie Brown to Everyone:
Victoria
12:03:39 From Sarah Gelbard to Everyone:
Joining from unceded unsurrendered Algonquin and Anashnaabeg territory a.k.a. Ottawa.
12:03:42 From Gabrielle Hurst to Everyone:
Richmond Hill
12:03:45 From Ellen Woodsworth to Everyone:
Ellen Woodsworth Women Transforming Cities International based in Vancouver
I live on the unceded ancestral territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations
12:03:47 From Reuben Briggs to Everyone:
Toronto
12:03:58 From Jenna Dutton to Everyone:
Victoria, BC. Homelands of the Songhees and Esquimalt people.
12:04:01 From Alicia Persaud to Everyone:
TORONTO
12:04:04 From Guhad Hersi to Hosts and panelists:
Hello, from Toronto
12:04:06 From Waeza Afzal to Everyone:
Toronto
12:04:40 From Lily-Ann DSouza to Everyone:
Markham
12:04:42 From HOWARD WAX to Everyone:
VERY TIMELY AND GREAT ADVENTURE THANK YOU
12:04:45 From Elizabeth Jassem to Everyone:
Great and very needed topic to discuss and to oush for better world in Toronto and everywhere. Thanks MAry.
12:05:37 From Gay Stephenson to Everyone:
Congratulations on your new adventure Jamie! You will be missed. Really interested in this session. Thank you!
12:06:40 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
HOUSEKEEPING: • A friendly zoom reminder, you can see and hear us but we can’t see or hear you • We have closed captioning enabled for today’s session. If you would like to turn it off, please click on the button at the bottom of your screen and disable • We are recording today’s session and will share it online at www.citytalkcanada.ca • We hope this session is as interactive as possible, so please feel free to share comments, references, links or questions in the chat
12:07:03 From Mitchell Reardon to Hosts and panelists:
Hello from the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
12:07:10 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Stephanie Allen, Associate Vice President, Strategic Business and Operations and Performance, BC Housing: Stephanie Allen is a housing development specialist focused on building affordable, equitable communities. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in urban studies. Stephanie’s masters research focused on the settlement and displacement of Black communities and documented the work done in Vancouver to seek redress for the displacement of Hogan’s Alley. She was awarded the 2020-2021 Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS) and ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award in humanities, social sciences, education, and business disciplines for her research.
12:07:21 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Most recently, she was the recipient of the 2021 BC Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards, in the Breaking Barriers category, for tackling systemic racism and reducing barriers for communities that experience marginalization. Stephanie has worked in the private, non-profit, and public sectors of real estate development since 2002 and is a founding board member of Hogan’s Alley Society and she is currently the Vice President of Strategic Business Operations & Performance for BC Housing.
12:07:53 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Cynthia Dorrington, Owner, Vale & Associates Human Resources Management and Consulting Inc.: Vale & Associates is a boutique consulting firm specializing in providing strategic management, business consulting and contractual HR services to organizations. Working in areas such as organizational strategy, people strategy, diversity and inclusion, change management, governance, organizational assessments, supplier diversity, performance management, project management, HR advisory services, training and development as well as team building and effectiveness, Vale & Associates has been able to provide consulting services to a number of clients in the private, para-public, public and not-for-profit sectors, locally, nationally and internationally.
12:08:02 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
In 2013, Cynthia became a Principal partner in Global Professional Services International (GPSI), a consulting firm based in Australia specializing in capacity building and institutional strengthening for organizations. Vale has strategically partnered with American companies to collaborate in growing businesses for inclusion into the globally supply chain.
12:09:03 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Jamilla Mohamud, Urban Planner, Urban Strategies: Jamilla is an Urban Planner and researcher with experience working on a range of issues including urban health equity, post-secondary student housing affordability and gendered rights to the city. She has developed public health policy recommendations to enable healthier outcomes for communities, supported city-wide public consultations on proposed Inclusionary Zoning policy and contributed to the design and implementation of post-secondary student consultation strategies. Her professional work strives to leverage land use policies to benefit communities by raising awareness of intersecting issues that impact historically disadvantaged populations. At Urban Strategies, Jamilla is contributing to new master plan and campus master plans in Canada and the US.
12:10:29 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Anyika Mark, Director of Communications, Black Urbanism TO: Anyika Mark studied Political Science & Caribbean Studies at the University of Toronto-St. George campus and was involved in a variety of student associations and community grassroots organizations throughout her years as an undergraduate. On campus this would include: Black Students’ Association, the Caribbean Studies Student Union, UofT’s Black Graduation ceremony. Off campus collectives include the Caribbean Solidarity Network, BlackUrbanismTO, Mount Dennis Community Association, and the York South-Weston NDP Riding Association.
12:10:40 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Being a lover of theatre, Anyika was the Stage Manager for DreamGirl and has acted in a number of student-led productions. Anyika recently had the honour of hosting a live read of her own play, Making Moves, with Nightwood Theatre through their playwrighting program, Write From The Hip in September of 2019. Making Moves was also performed at Weston Artscape in February 2020 by Piece of Mine Arts for their Black Women In Theatre event.
12:11:51 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Lanrick Bennett Jr, Managing Director of 880 Cities: Lanrick joined 8 80 Cities in March of 2020. He held previous positions as the Hub Manager at Artscape Wychwood Barns, Regional Advisor in the Ontario Provincial Government and Education Officer at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. As an advocate for social programs, Lanrick was one half of #JacksLibraryTour, where he and his 5-year-old son visited all 100 Toronto Public Libraries using public transit. He is a year-round urban cyclist who champions protected cycling infrastructure in multiple forms. Taking a page out of his improv training with the Second City, he celebrates the concept of “Yes, And,” which will enable him to keep moving the concepts of 8 80 Cities forward.
12:18:46 From Mary Gelinas to Everyone:
Thrilled about the knowledge and experience of this panel, thank you everyone! Question regarding the potential of a Cultural District in Little Jamaica in Toronto. Does the panel think this will be an effective way to preserve the “intangible” cultural heritage that doesn’t seem to be respected using Heritage Conservation Districts in Ontario/Toronto? Interested in how a cultural (heritage) district would be able to deter displacement of racialized and low income people/businesses/cultures in other neighbourhoods in Toronto (Parkdale specifically). Thank you!
12:19:29 From Anyika Mark to Everyone:
Such a great question Mary, can’t wait to get into that!
12:19:43 From Donnie Rosa to Everyone:
Thank you for the work you are doing in BC Stephanie, you push me/all of us to be better humans. Jamilla, systemic change indeed!
12:22:57 From Stephanie Allen to Everyone:
Hi Donnie! You are also doing great work as the GM of Parks thrust into responding to the homeless crisis in Vancouver. It’s been an honour to work with you.
12:22:59 From Kathleen Elgie to Everyone:
Bit of a followup or maybe clarification of Mary’s question. Do the policies about Heritage Conservation Districts HCDs need to change? Right now, HCD plans are pretty effective in safeguarding identified aspects of neighbourhoods. The recommendations of the Housing Affordability Task Force, if implemented, would totally destroy that protection. Any comments?
12:24:14 From Stephanie Allen to Everyone:
Still not adopted in BC
12:24:18 From Gloriela Iguina-Colon to Everyone:
Could you please walk us through an example of the work you have done in the past two years that employed strategies for inclusive resident engagement?
12:24:58 From Kathleen Elgie to Everyone:
Great question Gloriela!
12:25:52 From Gloriela Iguina-Colon to Everyone:
How do you engage diverse stakeholders? What are best practices you employ for doing so?
12:26:29 From Jamilla Mohamud to Everyone:
Programme of Activities for the Implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent: https://www.un.org/en/observances/decade-people-african-descent/programme-activities
12:28:08 From Scott Carnall to Everyone:
Thanks for the conversation, as more municipalities begin to remove single family only zoning are we seeing more diverse neighbourhoods or is there still obstructions in changes in mature neighbourhoods?
12:32:51 From Verlyn Francis to Everyone:
I continue to admire the work being done in Nova Scotia. We would go a long way in large cities like Toronto if we, as Black communities, boldly come together to demand the services and respect we deserve in Canada. Only the Indigenous peoples have been here before us and everyone is coming and pushing us aside.
12:33:19 From Michelle Abunaja to Everyone:
Stephanie, where can we find resources about how you approached assisting the unhoused population in your city? I would love to learn more
12:34:27 From Stephanie Allen to Everyone:
Hi Michelle, please reach out to the BC Housing Research centre. We have some limited published material and more to come
12:35:05 From Michelle Abunaja to Everyone:
Thank you! Loving this conversation and everything this group is sharing.
12:36:39 From Ellen Woodsworth to Everyone:
Please share these incredible resources here.
12:37:14 From Kathleen Elgie to Everyone:
Or send these resources to us as a followup. They are great.
12:37:46 From Ellen Woodsworth to Everyone:
World Urban Forum 11 deadline for proposals is March 21.
12:38:27 From Natasha Douglas to Everyone:
Yes, the individuals and resources mentioned have been great
12:39:09 From Zara Brown to Everyone:
👋🏾👋🏾👋🏾
12:39:25 From Nathan Baya to Everyone:
🔥🔥🔥
12:40:18 From Nicole Hanson to Everyone:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-planners-and-urbanists-association/
12:40:46 From Nemoy Lewis to Hosts and panelists:
👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
12:41:00 From Nicole Hanson to Everyone:
https://www.blackplanners.ca/
We’re national 👍🏾
12:41:27 From Ellen Woodsworth to Everyone:
This whole panel would be so powerful at the World Urban Forum which I think is going to be part in person and part online.
12:42:30 From Jamilla Mohamud to Everyone:
Folks at MIIPOC are also phenomenal: https://miipoc.com/our-team/
12:48:07 From Julie Chamberlain to Everyone:
So grateful for this excellent conversation and the many strategies and people highlighted! Will this recording be shared? I’d like to share it with my planning students!
12:48:58 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Hi Julie! Yes, the transcript and recording from today’s session will be available at www.citytalkcanada.ca
12:49:30 From Julie Chamberlain to Everyone:
Wonderful, thank you!
12:50:22 From Kathleen Elgie to Hosts and panelists:
Jamie, by transcript, do you mean the chat?
12:51:01 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Kathleen Elgie and all panelists:
Hey Kathleen. We share both the chat and panel transcript for each session.
12:51:32 From Kathleen Elgie to Hosts and panelists:
Great!
12:52:04 From Verlyn Francis to Everyone:
Thank you to all the panelists for your wisdom and ideas. So good to hear the sharing of strategies. Please tell us how we can contribute to the work.
12:55:42 From Ingrid Barrett to Everyone:
Play is critical in early child development
12:56:19 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Everyone:
Keep the conversation going #citytalk @canurb You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our sessions at https://www.canurb.org/citytalk
12:57:29 From Anyika Mark to Everyone:
https://cpplanning.ca/bfoe
12:57:53 From Stephanie Allen to Everyone:
Encourage everyone to tune in to Global TV Friday at 9 pm for BLK: An Origin Story about Black history in BC
12:58:41 From Beth Wilson to Everyone:
Thank you for a great session! I’m off to a meeting.
12:58:43 From Eleni Taye to Everyone:
Thank you to all the panelists! Very engaging
12:58:56 From Stephanie Allen to Everyone:
https://nsi-canada.ca/2022/02/blk-an-origin-story-history-channel/
12:58:59 From Jamie (she/her), Canadian Urban Institute to Lanrick Bennett Jr.(Direct Message):
You’ve been wonderful!! Thank you so much
12:59:02 From Meaghan Palynchuk to Everyone:
Thank you for such a great session and panelists !! This hour went by too fast !!
12:59:03 From Zara Brown to Everyone:
Thank you all
12:59:12 From Nemoy Lewis to Hosts and panelists:
Great Panel!!!
12:59:14 From Mitchell Reardon to Hosts and panelists:
Thank you for this excellent discussion
12:59:16 From Sarah Gelbard to Everyone:
Thank you all!
12:59:16 From Mary Gelinas to Everyone:
The fastest hour! Thank you!
12:59:23 From Nemoy Lewis to Hosts and panelists:
Thank you!!
12:59:24 From Natasha Douglas to Everyone:
Fantastic!!! Thank you!
12:59:26 From Jill Wigle to Everyone:
Thank you for a fantastic session!
12:59:29 From Claire Lee to Everyone:
Thank you for sharing with us!
12:59:32 From Lindsay Telfer to Everyone:
Fantastic conversation…thank you.
12:59:34 From Jamilla Mohamud to Everyone:
Appreciate everyone who joined and so great to share space with everyone on the panel today 🙂 peace and love!
12:59:37 From Gillian Walczak to Everyone:
excellent discussion!! THANK YOU ALL!!!
12:59:37 From Michelle (she/they) to Everyone:
🖤🖤 Thanks for all the information! essential information to bring to our city councillors.
12:59:39 From Catalina Parada to Everyone:
Thank you very much!
12:59:40 From Jennifer Green to Hosts and panelists:
Thanks for this excellent session!
12:59:41 From Agi Kapllani to Everyone:
I learned a lot! Thank-you!
12:59:42 From Sarah Burrell to Everyone:
Such an inspiring session – thank you to everyone on the panel today!
12:59:43 From Mia Bailey to Everyone:
Thank you
12:59:46 From Carla Mays to Hosts and panelists:
Thank you 🙏🏾
12:59:46 From Elizabeth Jassem to Everyone:
thank you.
12:59:46 From Nemoy Lewis to Hosts and panelists:
👏🏿
12:59:48 From Michelle (she/they) to Everyone:
Good lck in all your work!
12:59:50 From Ellen Woodsworth to Everyone:
Thank you !
12:59:50 From Jenna Dutton to Everyone:
Thanks to all panelists!
12:59:50 From Rutendo Madzima to Everyone:
Thank you
12:59:52 From Alicia Persaud to Everyone:
Thank you!
12:59:52 From Fredrica Walters to Everyone:
Thank you everyone for an amazing hour
12:59:52 From Magdalena Ugarte to Everyone:
Thank you! What a great conversation
12:59:53 From Patrick Henry to Everyone:
Thank you all!
12:59:57 From Reuben Briggs to Everyone:
thank you!
12:59:57 From Sherene Nichol to Everyone:
thank you
12:59:57 From Cassandra Dorrington to Hosts and panelists:
Great conversation, I love the range of perspectives.
12:59:59 From HOWARD WAX to Hosts and panelists:
WELL DONE
13:00:00 From Michelle Abunaja to Everyone:
Thank you!
