The federal government along with the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto are partnering with the University Health Network (UHN) to build a new supportive housing project in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood.
Representatives from all levels of government made the announcement Tuesday afternoon which will see the federal government invest $21.6 million into the development. It falls under the auspices of the federal government’s new agency – Build Canada Homes – which focuses on building more affordable housing in the country and encouraging a more productive homebuilding industry.
The Province will provide $2.6 million in operational funding annually and the City will serve as a public developer and lead the delivery of the new homes with an investment of $10.2 million.
“This three-way combination and the partnership with the community is really what it takes to deliver at this scale and it’s a model for other communities across Canada,” said Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
The project is being called Dunn House Phase Two, following in the footsteps of Dunn House, billed as Canada’s “first-ever social medicine supportive housing initiative.” That development in south Parkdale is a four-storey modular housing building with 51 rent-geared-to-income and supportive units for people experiencing homelessness who are also UHN patient that visit the emergency department frequently or are admitted to hospital often.
Dunn House Phase Two will have 54 rent-geared-to-income studio units catering to at-risk seniors and residents will have access to health and social services on-site.
Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said Dunn House 2 will go beyond “band-aid solutions.”
“[Dunn House 2 will integrate] primary healthcare, mental health supports, community services — it’s a combination to make a real difference to the people suffering from untreated mental illness, substance abuse and the like,” he said.
“They need a helping hand to turn their lives around and this is an initiative we are delivering supporting that need.”
The model for the project was developed by UHN’s Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine, the City of Toronto, and community partners.
“It recognizes that stable housing is a cornerstone of good health and integrates supports that address key social determinants of health, including housing stability, food security and access to care,” said a press release following the accouncement.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said that the original Dunn House demonstrated that social medicine supportive housing can both provide a stable home while improving care for those who need it.
“Together, we’re delivering what works – permanent homes with the healthcare, the supports that help people rebuild their lives,” she said.
