Insight: Mark Carney advocates for increased housing construction in Toronto. The protracted development of a specific Toronto project underscores the potential challenges in achieving this ambition.

Toronto's Road to Affordable Housing: A tangled web of Cranes, Cynics, Politics, and Time

Edward Keenan, the City Columnist for Toronto's famous Star, can be reached via email: [email protected]

Last week, construction cranes danced in Willowdale, placing a modular box on Cummer Avenue. It's just the beginning of a rent-geared-to-income housing development for homeless senior citizens. Construction's in full swing, aiming to complete it by early 2023.

The project was labeled an "important day" by Mayor Olivia Chow. Could this be a sneak-peek into how we tackle affordable housing in Toronto and across the nation? Undoubtedly, yes. Yet, it also hints at the obstacles we might still face in realizing this dream.

The construction method used here is innovative. In Sweden and Japan, similar technology has sped up and lowered the cost of housing production. By utilizing government-owned land and having the government oversee the project, this approach promises a way through our stubborn housing supply logjam.

This promise doesn't stop at city hall. Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed to promote this technique on a national scale, pledging $25 billion in financing for modular and prefabricated homes, establishing a government developer, and building some of it on public land.

At first glance, the Willowdale project seems like a showcase of Carney's vision. But here comes the Twist: The project was approved in 2021, aiming to have the units ready by 2022. Fast-forward to today; we're miles behind schedule, and the budget's bloated from $14.6 million to $36.3 million. What went wrong?

Politics, and a whole lot of it. Luxury home developers and NIMBY neighbors joined forces to oppose the project. Fearful and wishy-washy local and provincial politicians lent their support to the opposition, exploiting regulatory and appeals processes to delay construction.

While they dragged their feet, existing construction pieces rotted on a holding lot and later in a warehouse, increasing costs exponentially.

Fortunately, this story doesn't end on a sour note. Similar projects on Cedarvale Avenue and Macy Avenue were completed on time and within budget. These and other city projects demonstrate the potential of modular construction to deliver quick wins under the Liberal government's plan, with construction costs and timelines expected to decrease significantly when the number of units ramps up.

However, the Willowdale project underscores how easily obstacles can emerge — obstacles that complicate efforts to address the affordable housing crisis. People can scream and whine when affordable housing is proposed near them, exploiting regulations and delaying projects. Politicians often lose their backbones, joining the NIMBYs instead of using their influence to facilitate development.

Future governments wanting to scale up modular housing need to anticipate the resistance from thousands of NIMBYs and streamline the process to overcome it. They should also learn from the failures and successes of past projects.

So, the Willowdale affordable housing development's construction initiates is indeed good news. But is it too little, too late? Only time will tell as future governments prepare to build on its successes, and appreciated lessons from its setbacks.

Opinion articles are expressions of the author’s views, based on their interpretations of facts, data, and events. More details can be found here: [1][2][3][4]

Further Details

The utilization of modular housing construction as a key strategy to address the affordable housing crisis in Canada has gained prominence, thanks to accelerated construction timelines and cost-efficiency measures. Policymakers like the Ontario government with its $50 million investment in prefabricated homes and Prime Minister Mark Carney through his "Build Canada Homes" initiative aim to double residential construction to 500,000 units annually[1][3][4]. These efforts take inspiration from post-WWII prefab housing models to modernize production and scale delivery[2][4].

To streamline the process and expedite approvals for modular projects, the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) mandates zoning reforms (e.g., four-unit "as-of-right" per lot) and development charge freezes. A significant emphasis lies on material innovation, leveraging mass timber and Canadian softwood lumber to reduce costs and tap domestic resources[3][4]. Moreover, the proposed "Build Canada Homes" entity aims to use federal lands and financing to stimulate modular home construction, mimicking the role of the CMHC in past housing booms[2][3].

However, regulatory barriers, supply chain challenges, and public perception issues continue to pose hurdles in the scalability of modular housing[1][5]. The Ontario government faces challenges in reconciling local zoning with provincial targets, while ensuring financing reaches smaller builders[1][5]. The pressure is mounting for factory-built solutions to meet the CMHC's target of 6 million new homes by 2030[2][3].

The recent affordable housing development in Willowdale, Toronto, initiated by the city's government, has sparked a discussion about the future of affordable housing not only in Toronto but across the nation.
The environment, in terms of the housing sector, is marked by a complex web involving politics, community, and business, as the Willowdale project exemplifies.
Innovative construction methods, such as modular and prefabricated homes, are being championed by the government and prime minister as a potential solution to the housing supply logjam.
While the Willowdale project seems to embody the vision of Prime Minister Mark Carney, it has encountered significant setbacks, including going overbudget and being delayed, raising questions about the viability of modular housing solutions.
Political maneuvering, often fueled by opposition from luxury home developers and NIMBY neighbors, has been a significant obstacle in the progress of affordable housing projects like Willowdale.
Fearful and wishy-washy local and provincial politicians have often lent their support to such opposition, leading to regulatory delays and increased costs.
Despite these challenges, successful projects like those on Cedarvale Avenue and Macy Avenue demonstrate the potential of modular construction to deliver quick wins under the liberal government's plan.
As future governments aim to scale up modular housing, they must anticipate and overcome resistance from thousands of NIMBYs and streamline the process to expedite approvals.
The media, particularly opinion pieces, will play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and pressure policy-makers to address the affordable housing crisis effectively, offering a glimpse into the intricate dance between politics, the environment, the community, and the building industry.