Policy paper urges mortgage changes for inclusive housing in Canada
Community Living Toronto has released a policy paper calling for reforms to Canada's housing and mortgage systems, aimed at making it easier to develop inclusive housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The paper, titled Power of Place: Living Spaces, Thriving Lives, centres on a proposal to modernize Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation-backed mortgage policies by allowing a single mortgage to apply across multiple condominium units within the same development. The organization said this would create new opportunities for non-profits, housing providers, and community partners to acquire and operate units across mixed-use and condominium developments.
Community Living Toronto CEO Brad Saunders said the recommendations are intended to make inclusive housing more financially viable and scalable within developments already underway across the country. "These are practical policy solutions that would allow inclusive housing to become more financially viable and scalable within the communities already being built across Canada," he said.
The paper outlines housing challenges facing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, families, seniors, and other Canadians, and identifies how current mortgage and condominium financing structures can create barriers for organizations developing inclusive housing within condominium projects, particularly when multiple units are required.
Under the proposed framework, a single mortgage structure spanning multiple units could reduce financing complexity, improve affordability, and provide greater flexibility for housing providers operating within condominiums and mixed-use developments.
The organization said adults with disabilities are nearly twice as likely to experience core housing need compared with the general population. The paper also reviews the evolution of urban development in cities such as Toronto, the changing condominium market, an international comparison, and the potential for inclusive vertical communities combining housing, support services, and community life within mixed-use developments.
The paper's release is intended to open broader discussions with government, housing experts, community partners, families, and people with lived experience about the future of inclusive housing in Canada. Community Living Toronto said it will continue engaging policymakers and stakeholders on the recommendations in the months ahead.
