Aligning transit delivery to increase affordable housing

The Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Solution Lab looks at the connection between affordable housing and transit infrastructure. Workshops with key stakeholders will identify the issues and consider the relationship between all levels of government. By aligning government resources and seeking partnerships, new approaches can build more affordable housing along transit corridors.

Project scope and expected outcomes

How will the lab be conducted?

The lab will use 4 key phases:

1. Research
2. Development
3. Prototyping
4. Roadmap

Urban Strategies Inc. will lead workshops with key stakeholders and focus on affordable housing in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. They will identify solutions through case study analysis, interviews, workshops and business case modelling. These solutions can be used across Canada.

Research

During the research phase, stakeholders will give insights into the lack of coordination among federal, provincial and local governments. This relationship often means actions to resolve housing and transit issues are out of sync.

Participants’ ideas and advice on collaboration between governments will be a key factor in better planning affordable housing near transit corridors.

Development

In development workshops, participants will:

• identify solutions related to private and public partnerships
• align and streamline funding for transit oriented development and alternative affordable
• develop solutions related to government-owned land and the connection between affordable housing and transit

Prototyping

Participants in the prototyping phase will generate and test proposed responses to the problems and possible solutions in a series of workshops.

Roadmap

The final phase, roadmap, will include describing the steps to implement the solutions after the project ends.