Mr. Speaker, I have heard repeatedly from constituents and organizations like Mainstay Housing and Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust about the dire need for affordable housing.
During the pandemic, the need to isolate safely is critical, yet COVID-19 has exposed inequalities. Those who are marginalized do not have the luxury of safely isolating indoors, so tented encampments have popped up in Toronto, including in my community.
To address this quickly, we have launched the rapid housing initiative. It is a $1-billion program that will quickly build 3,000 new permanent affordable housing units with $203 million dedicated to Toronto alone. Importantly, the RHI is targeted at the most vulnerable, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The program will rapidly develop new modular housing, convert non-residential buildings and rehabilitate buildings that are abandoned or in disrepair.
Personally, I have already commenced the work to ensure that the RHI will include saving and expanding rooming houses in Parkdale—High Park, which help so many in my community stay safely housed. Housing is a basic human right. Each of us deserves a safe and affordable place to call home.