{"id":5739,"date":"2022-04-11T10:01:43","date_gmt":"2022-04-11T14:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acorncanada.org\/cbc-news-torontos-turning-some-its-offices-housing\/"},"modified":"2022-04-11T10:01:43","modified_gmt":"2022-04-11T14:01:43","slug":"cbc-news-torontos-turning-some-its-offices-housing","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/acorncanada.org\/news\/cbc-news-torontos-turning-some-its-offices-housing\/","title":{"rendered":"CBC News: Toronto’s turning some of its offices into housing. Advocates say it’s a ‘model’ for other governments"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tPosted April 11, 2022<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tCity experts and housing advocates are applauding a move by Toronto council to change the way it manages city-owned buildings \u2014 and they’re hoping other cities and governments follow suit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tOn Wednesday, councillors unanimously passed the next phase of the city’s plan to cut its office footprint from 55 locations to 15, a move it estimates will save more than $30 million annually. Now, the City of Toronto has the go-ahead to renovate eight of its properties in the coming years to create 500 to 600 new affordable housing units while expanding services.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tThe plan is a clever way forward and other industries should support the city in its plans, says Leslie Woo, CEO of civic engagement non-profit CivicAction, who’s also worked in urban planning in Toronto.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t“Now we need the city and all its partners to support this effort and not be throwing darts at it,” said Woo. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t“It’s a model that could work for everyone … so let’s see how we can apply it in other places.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tExperts and advocates like Woo say the city now has the opportunity to set a precedent for how other municipalities \u2014 even federal and provincial governments \u2014 should use their real estate portfolios as a tool to tackle the national housing crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tThe plan has its roots in 2019, when Toronto Mayor John Tory launched ModernTO to help make better use of city-owned office space. The push to have more city employees work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the effort .<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tThe eight properties proposed for renovation have an estimated land value of $450 million. The sites include: <\/span><\/p>\n