There have been many words that all of us got accustomed to hearing as well as using during the pandemic: resilient, accessible, inclusive, sustainable, affordable.
Although these words give us the feeling of warm and happy thoughts about ourselves and others, they are not explicit in the “how” part.
We use these words easily without considering how they can be accomplished. In other words, there is no way to quantify how they can achieve their intended impact.
Where Should We Live?
I especially have difficulty with the last one: affordable.
I take issue with using the word in housing discussions: affordable housing.
Here are my reasons why we are not using the word affordable correctly in our Toronto housing discussions.
Missing the Audience We Need
It’s strange that most housing discussions, news stories, and policies lack input from the most important stakeholders: the people who are actually going to live in these units.
Take, for example, the typical discussions around Real Estate development The articles typically describs the background of the developers, the financing structure, and future expansion plans. But what about the renters?
Other than a vague reference to median incomes between $50,000–$70,000, there was little insight into who these units are actually for.
This is a common pattern.
We hear praise about how new developments will benefit communities, but shouldn’t these accolades come from the people who will actually live in them?
Without including their voices, these projects cannot be considered truly viable.
Who better to define affordable housing than the people searching for it?
Public Engagement Matters
I recently saw a City of Toronto notice in front of a park near Yonge and Eglinton asking for community feedback.
As a frequent park user (and occasional park complainer), I had a lot of opinions! But more importantly, this effort to gather user experiences is a simple, effective way to improve public spaces.
Why don’t we take the same approach to housing?
Instead of developers, investors, and government officials defining affordability on their own, we need conversations with the people who will live there.
Without this, affordability remains a buzzword rather than a real, measurable goal.
The Problem with Public-Private Partnerships
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are often touted as the solution to housing affordability.
In theory, they allow the government and private developers to work together toward a common goal. In practice, they often create a conflict of interest.
Take the well-publicized Mirvish Village development in Toronto. It launched with promises of mixed-income rental units: market, affordable, and deeply affordable. But insiders already predict that in 10 to 20 years, these so-called affordable units will transition to market rate, erasing any long-term affordability.
The issue? Developers need profit; affordability requires long-term stability.
These two objectives rarely align. Without stronger regulations or permanent affordability guarantees, we’ll find ourselves having this same discussion again in a decade.
The Middle Ground is Vanishing
We understand that cities need a range of housing options. But the middle ground—housing that is neither luxury nor deeply subsidized—is disappearing fast.
Recent data showed that Toronto rental prices dipped slightly. But even with a 4.55% drop for one-bedroom apartments and a 3.57% drop for two-bedrooms, the numbers remain staggering:
- One-bedroom: $2,000–$4,000/month
- Two-bedroom: $2,700–$3,700/month
This isn’t affordable by any reasonable standard. Even the City of Toronto’s definition of “affordable housing” leaves a shocking gap between their set rates and actual market rents.
Final Thoughts
We cannot have meaningful housing discussions without discussing real dollar amounts, long-term affordability policies, and, most importantly, input from the people who will actually live there.
Much of the conversation around affordability remains superficial—polished renderings, optimistic press releases, and self-congratulatory statements from developers.
But without transparency around financing, affordability models, and future plans, we’re stuck in a cycle of temporary solutions that fail to address the bigger issue.
Affordable housing in Toronto needs to be redefined—not by developers, but by the people searching for a place to call home.
Life Outside of Design Studio 
6 thoughts