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June 18, 2024
by Communications Manager

Press Release: Five Ways Home

Press Release: Five Ways Home

JUNE 18 , 2024 –

Misery of the housing crisis brings together an unusual mix of partners who urge the public to join them in their fight to build homes now.

An unusual mix of almost 50 community and business leaders, developers, environmentalists, farmers and prominent Ontarians from a wide variety of backgrounds and political affiliations released a new report called, “Taking Action Together: Five Ways to Make Homes Affordable in Ontario.” The group is also urging Ontarians to join them in their fight to get homes built – now.

“There is universal agreement that governments at all levels, the private sector, and non-profit housing providers must all work together to solve this crisis,” said Melinda Zytaruk, the CEO of Tooketree Passive Homes, based in Muskoka Ontario. “This can’t happen unless and until governments create the right laws and tax policies for developers and other housing providers to build and maintain the housing we need.”

The report includes five clear actions governments—municipal, Ontario and federal—can take to solve the housing crisis:

  1. Build in the right places
  2. Build a wide variety of housing types
  3. Build smarter and faster
  4. Invest heavily in non-market, affordable housing
  5. Make housing affordable and part of liveable communities.

The recommendations “provide a way forward that makes homes affordable, does not require new homes on farmland, natural areas, and water resources, and reduces the economically wasteful impacts that occur with sprawling development,” said Carolyn Whitzman, an affordable housing expert. “Adopting them would ensure all governments are heading in the right direction.”

The diverse group also hopes the straightforward recommendations in the report inspire everyday Ontarians.

“Everyone probably knows someone who can’t find a home they can afford. And most people feel frustrated and powerless about what they can do to help,” said David Crombie, former Toronto mayor and Progressive Conservative Cabinet minister. “We wanted to give
Ontarians hope and doable actions they can take to help make homes affordable. We are urging them to join us in this fight and have created actionable steps for them to take as well.”

Actionable steps include:

  • Contact their City Councillor, Mayor, MPP, and MP. Urge them to take action on the five Action Areas and share the report.
  • Speak to their friends, family, and neighbours about the five recommendations and share the report.
  • Speak out on social media by sharing the videos and the website found at www.fivewayshome.ca.

Report can be found here.

Videos can be found here:

  1. Build in the right places: https://youtu.be/0oI6TfVk4Eo
  2. Build a wide variety of housing types: https://youtu.be/YqTh-aNJZk8
  3. Build smarter and faster: https://youtu.be/pkG9bBTkAJQ
  4. Invest heavily in non-market, affordable housing: https://youtu.be/IdGPRQiZNAw
  5. Make housing affordable and part of liveable communities: https://youtu.be/JvWVQn4ZYa4

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For more information and to book interviews, please contact:
Franz Hartmann 416-606-8881 info@liveableontario.ca

Report is endorsed by:
Alex Speigel, Partner, Windmill Development Group
Anne Golden CM, OOnt
Bill Roberts, Director, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Canadian Centre for Housing Rights
Carolyn Whitzman
Cherise Burda
Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto
David A. Wolfe
David Crombie, Friends of the Golden Horseshoe
David Miller

Kofi Hope, Monumental Projects and Urbanist in Residence University of Toronto School of Cities
Leslie Woo, CivicAction
Mark Reusser, Waterloo Federation of Agriculture
Martin Straathof, Ontario Farmland Trust
Matti Siemiatycki, Infrastructure Institute, University of Toronto

Debbie Douglas, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants
Doris Grinspun, Registered Nurses Association of Ontario
Franz Hartmann, Alliance for a Liveable Ontario
Geoff Kettel, Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods
Greg Sorbara, Partner, The Sorbara Group of Companies
Jaimee Gaunce
Jennifer Keesmaat, Collecdev Markee
John Stapleton, Open Policy
Ken Greenberg, Greenberg Consultants

Max Hansgen, National Farmers Union-Ontario
Melinda Zytaruk, Tooketree Passive House
Michael Piper, University of Toronto /ReHousing
Samantha Eby, ReHousing.ca
Sharon Avery, Toronto Foundation
Tim Gray and Phil Pothen, Environmental Defence

….and many more