Tenant LOOP - Spring 2023

Spring 2023 You, your community and your city

More than just housing

P6 Youth essay winners share their perspectives on TCHC and their community

Upcoming spring and summer youth programs

P10

LEAF program plants seeds at Jane & Finch

P13

Your Spring Tenant LOOP

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R-PATH reports: Cathy Birch wins David C. Onley Award

Left to right: The Honourable Raymond Sung Joon Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, David C. Onley, R-PATH Chair Cathy Birch, The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

We are proud to share with you that Cathy Birch, the founder and Chair of the Responsible Personal Accessibility in Toronto Housing (R-PATH) Committee, was awarded the David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility to recognize the work she has done to help make Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) a leader in accessible housing. The award ceremony was held in December 2022.

This award was created to recognize the outstanding work of those who have demonstrated leadership and gone above and beyond to champion accessibility and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.

“Receiving this award was an honour that reflects the importance of the hard work I and the members of the R-PATH Committee have done for the past decade,” Birch said.

“I was one of the last to receive this award from Mr. Onley’s own hands before his untimely death on January 14th, 2023. He has passed the torch of creating an accessible society to us and many other advocates. We will continue in his spirit to collaborate with TCHC management in making communities, homes, and work places more inclusive for disabled tenants and staff.”

Their roots run deep

An artist and a poet are telling the story of the Alexandra Park community that inspired them

Construction hoardings (temporary fences around construction sites) are nothing new in Toronto, but take a walk through Alexandra Park along Dundas Street West, and you’ll find one covered in a magnificent mural bursting with colour and passion. It tells the story of the neighbourhood and the residents who helped shape it.

The mural is a collaboration between artist Savannah Lavallée and poet Alban Olive, two Alexandra Park tenants who wanted to give back to the community they proudly call home. The project was facilitated by TCHC and development partner Tridel as a community economic development initiative. The hoarding surrounds the construction site for the next phase of the Alexandra Park revitalization, which will include an Atkinson Co-op apartment building and a market condominium.

Savannah first moved to Alexandra Park with her mother when she was two years old and has lived in the neighbourhood for 22 years. She has always been heavily involved in the community growing up, and

credits her mother for instilling this in her. When asked about how she got involved in visual arts, she feels lucky she had such a supportive community around her growing up. “The community has always worked so closely with the arts in the surrounding area and there’s a need in the community to have that type of programming to encourage and nurture young talent,” she said. “I’ve been lucky that the people around me saw what I could accomplish, but also that the resources were around to be able to do those things. You can have talent, but you need to learn and you need the skills and mentorship. I’m so grateful to my community for providing that.”

The Alexandra Park mural came about after Savannah sketched some concepts and pitched them to a community working group, who then voted on which concept

“I feel like I’ve accomplished something the community can be proud of and see themselves in.”

Poet Alban Olive and artist Savannah Lavallée

they liked the most. The winning concept was inspired by a poem written by Alban, a native of Grenada who came to Canada in 1988 after winning several awards for his writing there. His poem is included on the first panel of the mural, providing a nice introduction to the piece.

“The poem talks about all the people who lived, contributed and passed on, all different sorts of people who helped in the revitalization of Alex Park,” Alban said. “This is a community with lots of history, and the history comes with the people.”

That’s precisely the visual Savannah wanted to convey in the mural. “I used roots for background, because that’s your history, that’s the beginning, and they branch out in many different ways and are very intersectional and diverse,” she said. “Roots also spring from one point and that one point is our community.” Other visuals include images of things important to the residents of Alexandra Park that they strongly identify with, such as children playing basketball, people riding bikes, and images inspired by childhood memories. The idea is for each little vignette to be pieced together to collectively tell the story of Alexandra Park, and Savannah says this serves a dual purpose: “I feel like I’ve accomplished something the community can be proud of and look at and see themselves in, but also something a passerby can be like, oh, this is what this community is about,” she said.

She hopes the mural gets people thinking about how important their communities are, and about the things that connect them to each other. She also wants to

inspire people, particularly youth. “It’s important to make a positive impact and to be a role model,” she said.

“Especially as we get older, we should give back to young people and help them navigate the world, because it was difficult for our generation.”

Alban has similar thoughts on inspiring his community: “I get lots of feedback from people who saw the mural and like it and like the work that I’ve done. I like to think it’s inspiring the next generation, he said.”

What does the future hold for that generation? “I think it will be a bright future with more job opportunities through community economic development, which is very important to our residents” Alban said. “TCHC and Tridel are on board with helping develop the business platform for Alexandra Park, so in the future we’ll have our own businesses and this could be one of the rising communities in Toronto.”

With roots as strong as these, the sky’s the limit.

Are you a young artist or writer living in the Alexandra Park area looking for guidance? Contact the Alexandra Park Community Centre at (416) 603-9603 or email moshin@alexpark.org to learn about their youth mentorship programs.

For more information about public art projects in Alexandra Park, contact Filip Filipovic at (437) 922-3772 or email filip.filipovic@torontohousing.ca.

“This will be one of the rising communities in Toronto.”

20-20 Vision Short Essay Contest: More than just housing

Tenant youth share their perspectives on TCHC and the community

What is the role of a housing provider?

Is it enough to just provide a place to live, or do all social housing providers have more responsibility to tenants and the surrounding community?

For Toronto Community Housing’s 20th anniversary, we held the 20-20 Vision Short Essay Contest and asked youth tenants to write about TCHC’s current and future role as a housing provider. We also asked them to address the challenges TCHC faces, and what they think brings their community together.

We received dozens of well thoughtout entries from communities across the city. Many essays focused on a few common themes. The first is that access to housing provides stability.

Community programs and supports were also identified as an important theme in helping tenants thrive. Many participants identified opportunities where TCHC or community agencies can step in to fill a gap and provide necessary services.

As one of the participants writes, “Having a roof over one’s head is not the only necessity. Other ways to help people would be to provide subsidized daycare for tenants so more parents would be free to work. There could also be workshops that offer community kitchens, art therapy and more to allow people to come together and learn while encouraging healthy living.”

Many essays touched on the positive impact of community leaders and events that bring people together. Participants also noted the challenges TCHC faces and offered creative ideas for how we should improve. Some addressed largescale issues like the need for more diverse viewpoints in decision-making. Others focused on more local concerns that impact them on a daily basis.

The essays we received showcased a range of unique youth perspectives and ideas. With so many great submissions, the panel of judges had a tough decision selecting the three winners.

“TCHC gave my family the opportunity to grow and become established in a safe and welcoming community.”

Youth essay contest winner

Noshin Ullah (First place)

Noshin Ullah, our first place winner, is a third-year law student. She wants to contribute to developments in research, policy and social change. As part of the first place prize, she had the chance to chat with TCHC’s President and CEO, Jag Sharma. They talked about her work in curating oral histories from her local community of Regent Park. Noshin also spoke about how vital it is to include youth voices and ideas when it comes to developing youth programming.

Ahmed Adan, the second place winner, is a Power and Energy Engineering student. His goal is to shed light on youth engagement and empowerment. Ridda Ahmed, the third place winner, is in the first year of her nursing career. She hopes to take on leadership roles to address health inequalities.

Thank you to everyone who submitted such thoughtful, well-written essays. Congratulations to all our winners!

As we look forward to the next 20 years at TCHC, it’s important to think about how we should continue in our role as a social housing provider. As our participants noted, social housing is not only housing. For many, TCHC offers stability, community, and opportunity.

In the words of first place winner Noshin, “Though challenges remain, TCHC is and will continue providing homes and hope to many. It is with this hope that we tread towards a brighter future for all of us.”

The bios and essays from our winners are available to read online . Just scan the QR code with your mobile device to read them or visit

tchc.qrd.by/EssayContestWinners.

Thank you to Wealthsimple Foundation for sponsoring this contest.

“TCHC is and will continue providing homes and hope to many.”

Youth essay contest winner Ahmed Adan (Second place)

Youth essay contest winner Ridda Ahmed (Third place)

Tenant Notices

Please review this section for important updates from TCHC

Tenant survey results

Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) is dedicated to meeting the tenancy and service needs of you, our tenants. We are also committed to understanding how your satisfaction can change as services are delivered.

Part of this understanding comes through tenant satisfaction surveys done approximately every three years. These surveys help us understand where we are meeting your needs, and where there is room for us to improve.

Getting to know our communities on a deeper level

We partnered with Forum Research to complete the most recent Tenant Survey in 2021 and sent it to approximately 41,000 households.

We received 8,852 total responses. That is the largest response the Tenant Survey has ever received from tenants! About 22 per cent of households participated, which has given us even more data to make informed decisions about the services that matter most to you.

As part of the survey, we anonymously collected demographic data about age, gender, race, language, and disability. This allows us to see trends in how tenants from different backgrounds and experiences see TCHC services. This helps staff better understand what these groups need and how they experience obstacles to service. This type of information will help us learn how to better work with you to provide support.

We will use this anonymous data to inform our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy. It will also be used for the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Strategy, in addition to providing insight into the programming and service needs of tenants with different backgrounds.

Top three trends in feedback

Your feedback focused on three key issues:

Customer service and communication

Once the results were made available to TCHC in 2022, we started action plans to address concerns and areas of dissatisfaction.

Action plans already in place

Initiatives are already underway to respond to these findings. For example, we have folded formerly contract-managed buildings back to direct management. This will help provide consistent services to tenants, including ways to address maintenance issues.

Improvements to customer service standards and tenant communications include the launch of new digital communications channels like email and SMS (text messages). We are also developing a new website to deliver up-to-date information, resources and service to tenants.

Our Client Care Centre has updated processes to improve service and response times when you call or email them.

Over 22 per cent of your comments were about safety. We are continually taking action to improve safety and security of tenants, staff and buildings. Work already underway includes a review of the current deployment model and dispatch process in order to improve response times when you call. We are also working with community stakeholders to expand the resources that are available to you if a traumatic incident happens in your community.

Next steps

These initiatives are only a small part of our response to the feedback you provided. Surveys will be done regularly to build on action plans and obtain more feedback. The next Tenant Satisfaction Survey is scheduled to happen sometime in early 2024.

More information

Scan the QR code with your phone or go to torontohousing.ca/survey for more information. You can also see a copy of the survey results for the larger portfolio.

Maintenance in contractmanaged buildings

Community safety and security

TenantNotices

Spring fire safety tips

Fires happen fast. A working smoke alarm can save your life by giving you an early warning signal if smoke is detected. It is dangerous and illegal to tamper with or disable a smoke alarm.

Using an elevator during a fire emergency is dangerous. Elevators are often disabled when the fire alarm is activated. If it is not disabled, the elevator can take you to the part of the building that is on fire. Always take the stairs and close all doors behind you to prevent the spread of smoke and fire.

Always keep matches and lighters up high and out of the reach of children, and never use candles around unaccompanied children or pets. Talk to your children about fire safety.

Visit torontohousing.ca/firesafety for more fire safety tips.

Upcoming spring and summer youth programs

Are you interested in participating in recreational activities, job training or helping out in an upcoming event? Be on the lookout for registration info for these upcoming programs and activities offered within select communities:

For more information about registrations and program start dates, email your inquiries to:

Recreation Program Inquiries: activeliving@torontohousing.ca

Internship Inquiries:

economic.opportunities@torontohousing.ca

YouthWorx Inquiries:

hireyouth@torontohousing.ca

Paying your rent on time

An important part of tenant responsibilities is to pay your rent on time and in full each month. Rent is due on or before the first day of the month.

Support is available

If you think you might miss a payment or be late, it is very important that you call your Tenant Services Coordinator and let them know about your situation so we can help you. If you miss rent payments, you will be in arrears. Arrears can put you at risk for eviction.

We want to help you keep your home. We can work with you to create a repayment plan. We can also make special arrangements to help if you are in hospital or have an emergency.

Toronto Community Housing cannot give you legal advice. There are free or lowcost legal resources available. Go to torontohousing.ca/legal-supports for a list of services across the city.

Service at regional offices

We have developed Tenant Service Hubs to bring services closer to you, and provide a “one-stop shop” experience at a convenient location. We know you may have concerns or need to escalate an issue beyond your local Hub or the Client Care Centre. When that happens, please visit your Regional office instead of the corporate offices at 931 Yonge Street.

931 Yonge St. does not have the staff onsite to fully respond to concerns. Regional offices do have the correct staff. They can help address escalations, provide paperwork, and more.

Regional offices are located at:

Starting in mid-April, regional offices will have staff available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. We recommend that you make an appointment through the Client Care Centre at 416-981-5500.

As part of the ModernTO initiative from the City of Toronto, the offices at 931 Yonge Street will be vacated sometime in 2024. At that time, “head office” functions will move to Metro Hall.

• West: 495 Wilson Ave. (access off Champlain Blvd.)

• Central: 49 Lower Jarvis St.

• East: 2739 Victoria Park Ave.

Contest:

Out with the old, in with the new!

Spring is a great time to organize ourselves and get rid of clutter in and around the home. The warmer weather makes it all the more satisfying to get a fresh, clean start.

So how do you do it? Do you dust your furniture, pack your winter clothes and stow them in the closet or vacuum the curtains?

Share your best spring cleaning tips with us and you could win an Amazon gift card with a $50 value. This contest is only open to tenants of Toronto Community Housing.

Contest entries can be sent via:

• Email to TenantLOOP@torontohousing.ca

• Direct message to our Facebook page at facebook.com/TorontoCommunityHousing

• Mail to 931 Yonge St., 7th floor, Toronto, ON M4W 2H2 (Attn: Tenant LOOP)

Please send your entries by Friday, June 2, 2023.

Congratulations to Sakib, the winner of our “Favourite Holiday Tune” contest from the winter issue. Every December, Sakib puts on the holiday classic “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams. As Sakib puts it: “This is one tune that never goes out of style. The lyrics were written decades back but are always in tune with the current times.” Well said!

Legendary singer Andy Williams

LEAF program plants seeds at Jane & Finch

The Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF) program is planting its seeds in TCHC neighborhoods tree by tree. In 2021 they established their tree and shrub planting program in the Tobermory community in the Jane and Finch area. LEAF has been working with TCHC and the City of Toronto over the last five years to engage communities in the planting and stewardship of native trees and shrubs on TCHC properties.

In every community it plants in, LEAF hires a group of tenants as Tree Stewards, through their Tree Stewardship program. The program goes beyond planting and maintaining trees on Toronto Community Housing property. This program inspires tenant youth to be environmentally responsible in their communities and to find work in the green sector.

For Nuradin “Nur” Mohamed, a York University Environmental Studies major, the LEAF Tree Stewardship program was exactly what he needed to take what he learned at school and match it with real life environmental job experience. “My program is very theory-based, a lot of reading, writing environmental reports and presenting on them. So when I walked into my building and saw the Tree

Stewardship job posting, I was excited to apply,” Nur said. “I knew stewardship was taking care of the planet and being equally responsible for the environment and that’s what I want to do. It was great to be involved in my community, work in the industry I’m studying but also be a part of something I’m passionate about.”

The Tree Stewardship project also aims to engage tenants and staff in TCHC communities to improve the local tree canopy, providing tenants with the many benefits that trees offer. A central element of the project is the engagement of local tenants and site staff in planting locations, species selection and stewardship. LEAF provides Tree Stewards with training and tree care resources to make sure each tree and shrub thrives.

“When I move on from Tobermory I will leave something long lasting behind,” said Nur. When I come back, I can still admire the trees I planted.”

In 2022, LEAF helped “green up” 21 TCHC communities with over 300 native trees and shrubs through the TCHC Planting and Stewardship Initiative, which is funded by the City of Toronto’s Urban Forestry Grant. Visit yourleaf.org/tch-green to learn more about the program.

How a group of tenants are “greening up” their Tobermory community

Nuradin “Nur” Mohamed admiring young trees in the Tobermory Community

Your comment Our solution

Your comment: I’ve noticed several bugs in my unit and they won’t go away. I’m not sure where they came from and if I kill them, I always see more. What can I do to get rid of them for good?

Our solution: Unfortunately, cockroaches, bedbugs, mice, and other pests can sometimes find their way into homes. They are harder to control in places that are cluttered or overcrowded. If you suspect you have pests in your home, you should immediately tell your superintendent or call the Client Care Centre at 416-981-5500 so they can arrange for treatment as soon as possible.

We will let you know when technicians will come in to treat your unit, and if there is anything you need to do to prepare. This could include emptying cabinets or moving furniture away from walls. If you require assistance, please let staff know as they will help you prepare your unit. There is no charge for pest control or treatment unless you don’t follow preparation instructions or you refuse to let the contractor in.

If you’ve recently had an infestation removed, here are a few tips to keep pests from returning:

• Keep your unit clean and clutter-free

• Do not feed local wildlife, as they can attract other pests

• Do not pick up furniture that others have thrown away

• Do not put any garbage in hallways or on floors of chute rooms

How to get in touch

You can call these numbers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or reach us by email at help@torontohousing.ca

• Client Care Centre 416-981-5500

• Community Safety Unit 416-921-2323

• Crime Stoppers 416-222-8477

Do you have an unresolved concern or a complaint?

The Solutions Team at TCHC can help

Contact Solutions if:

• You are unhappy with services you received, have tried to resolve the complaint with the Client Care Centre or your local Tenant Service Hub and are still not satisfied with the results

• You had a great experience with TCHC and would like to send a compliment to a staff member

Do you have more questions about the Tenant Complaint process? Visit torontohousing.ca/complaints to learn more.

When you contact Solutions, you can expect:

• Our team to acknowledge your request and provide you with a reference number

• After the investigation, give you an explanation about what is being done to resolve your complaint

Solutions Team 416-981-6000 solutions@torontohousing.ca

Toronto Community Housing would like to improve our communications to you by emailing timely building and maintenance notices, services, program information, important updates and other communications.

Help us to communicate with you more efficiently by providing your email at torontohousing.ca/emailupdates.

Thank you!

You can also scan the QR code above to submit your email.