For people formerly experiencing homelessness, a warm and safe place to call home is taking shape in the Downtown East area.
City officials marked the creation of 92 newly renovated rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes at 65 Dundas St. E. on Tuesday. The project is the latest step in prioritizing rent-geared-to-income homes in a response to a need for supportive housing, the city said.
According to the city, the project is the largest shelter to housing conversion undertaken in Toronto and it follows other projects at 1430 Gerrard St. E. and 224 Spadina Ave., completed in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
The new units are being created through acquisition and renovations to the Bond Place Hotel. The property was leased as a temporary shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to rising demand, and to allow additional space for physical distancing.
In 2022, the city acquired the property — with federal funding — to convert it to 280 new permanent rental units.
Once renovations are complete in spring 2025, the building will offer housing for people earning a range of incomes and in need of an affordable home.
The renovated building will include studio and one-bedroom apartments with a private bathroom and kitchenette. At least 15 per cent of the apartments will be accessible, the city said in a release.
The city has partnered with social services agency Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services on the project.
Dixon Hall will lease and manage the building over a near 50-year term and provide support services to residents of the supportive homes.
“65 Dundas St. E. was a critical shelter for the Downtown East community during the COVID-19 crisis, providing safe refuge when it was most needed," said Dixon Hall CEO Mina Mawani.
"Today, with the support of the city, it is being transformed into deeply supportive housing, offering not only a stable home, but also a compassionate environment for individuals rebuilding their lives."
The city said the project will also enable the creation of mixed-income communities in the area by providing affordable rental homes to people earning a range of incomes — including the remaining 188 homes currently under renovation.
The city received more than $123 million in capital funding from the federal government through the Rapid Housing Initiative for the project. The city also supplied its own capital, and is providing financial incentives and relief from property taxes, estimated at $9.5 million.
The provincal government has provided $3.5 million in operating funding for support services as part of a three-year commitment of $48 million made in 2023 towards supportive housing.
"Projects such as 65 Dundas St. E. demonstrate how partnerships between various orders of government and housing providers such as Dixon Hall can deliver innovative solutions that address the most urgent challenges of our time,” said Mayor Olivia Chow.
“I'm proud that this major investment will help meet affordable housing needs in the city of Toronto, benefitting the most vulnerable in our region for decades to come," added Marci Ien, Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre.
The city said it is currently providing accommodations to more than 12,200 people experiencing homelessness. This figure continues to rise due to the rising housing affordability crisis.
More info on the city’s housing targets is available on the HousingTO Plan dashboard.
