YMCA of Greater Toronto Breaks Ground on Rapid Housing Project for 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth
Celebrating the start of construction of a new 31-unit YMCA rapid housing project for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth were Candace Hamilton, Acting General Manager, Youth Outreach and Intervention, Employment and Community at the YMCA of Greater Toronto, Akosua Matthews, Board Chair, YMCA of Greater Toronto, leadership donors Daphne Wagner and David Green, City of Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Toronto, Lesley Davidson, City of Toronto Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Lisa Hepfner, and Vice President, Property Management, Alex Versluis.
31 new affordable and supportive homes being built with support including funding from the City of Toronto and the Government of Canada Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI)
Toronto – January 21, 2025 – The YMCA of Greater Toronto and the City of Toronto officially broke ground today on a rapid housing project on the site of the charity’s Wagner Green YMCA emergency shelter in downtown Toronto.
The six-storey development will create 31 affordable rental homes for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The new homes will be offered as Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) homes with no tenant paying more than 30 per cent of their income or the shelter allowance of their income support benefit on rent. Each tenant will have a private studio apartment with a kitchenette and bathroom.
The project is supported by the City of Toronto and the Government of Canada’s Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). The RHI is delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the National Housing Strategy.
“Everyone deserves a place to call home so we are creating 65,000 rent-controlled homes for Torontonians who need it most,” says Mayor Olivia Chow. “Working with the YMCA, this Rapid Housing project will give 2SLGBTQIA+ youth a place to call home. With a common goal and vision for a more inclusive city, we are working across government and with non-profits to build a kinder, more caring city.”
“The YMCA is an incredible partner in supporting people on their housing journeys through their youth shelter and drop-in centre here in the downtown core,” says Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik. “This expansion to include 31 transitional RGI homes is a meaningful next step to support young 2SLGBTQIA+ residents. I am excited to see this project advance in the coming months to provide more affordable housing for young people who call Spadina-Fort York home.”
“2SLGBTQIA+ youth face a disproportionate risk of homelessness, so it is crucial we provide resources and supports to help them overcome barriers to housing,” says Lisa Hepfner, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth. “The Government of Canada is investing $16.8 million from our Rapid Housing Initiative to support this six-storey building so that more young people can have a place to call home.”
“While they represent 10% of the Canadian population, it’s estimated that almost one in three young people experiencing homelessness in Canada identifies within the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities,” says Lesley Davidson, President & CEO, YMCA of Greater Toronto. “We are thrilled to help address this inequity with the City of Toronto and the Government of Canada by providing young people with supportive housing, ultimately helping them achieve their full potential.”
The project is located on the site of The Wagner Green YMCA, an emergency shelter and drop-in centre where unhoused youth find a hot meal and a safe place to sleep — as well as wrap-around supports that help them return to school, find work, and, ultimately, live independently in safe housing of their own. Learn more about the Wagner Green YMCA shelter.
For updates about the YMCA’s rapid housing project, please visit ymcagta.org/rapidhousing.