A block of new modular homes was delivered to a site in Scarborough on Friday, providing permanent affordable housing for 57 people experiencing homelessness.
Located at 39 Dundalk Drive, the City of Toronto says the modular homes will rehouse residents who are currently living in a nearby hotel shelter site, including women, Indigenous residents, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Future tenants will pay rent based on their income for a studio apartment with a kitchen and bathroom, with access to building amenities including a laundry room and programming spaces.
City Councillor Michael Thompson, who was on-site for the units' delivery, touted the modular homes as making "significant progress in solving homelessness."
Some critics, however, argued that 57 units will have "no impact," considering the City's shelter system currently accommodates about 8,200 people each night -- an all-time high -- and is often at capacity.
Toronto's HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan includes a target of approving 40,000 new affordable rental homes, including 18,000 supportive homes.
Included in the plan, modular homes are prefabricated in a factory and then transported to a site where they're assembled. Compared to traditional construction, modular construction is faster and more cost efficient.
During the units unveiling on Friday, Mayor John Tory stated that he was "laser focused" on building more affordable and supportive housing in Toronto. The City expects to have approximately 400 new affordable homes become available this winter.
