Toronto Community Housing Board of Directors approves the refreshed Tenant Engagement System

(Toronto) July 30, 2019 ­— The Toronto Community Housing Corporation's (TCHC) Board of Directors has approved the Tenant Engagement System and the implementation plan at a special board meeting held on July 19, 2019. The proposed engagement system and implementation plan were considered for approval at the June board meeting, but were deferred to July's board meeting where it was approved. The goal of the refreshed engagement system will increase tenant participation and offer more tenants opportunities for local decision-making.

Diagram showing the Tenant Engagement System

Image of the Tenant Engagement System structure.

Key elements of the tenant engagement system include:

  • providing a new three-level structure for the local, operating unit/community and city level
  • giving tenants the choice to vote on the local engagement option that best fits their community, from two options: community representatives and building/townhouse committee
  • allowing tenants to establish independent groups known as tenant associations in their community. A community can choose to have a tenant association in addition to engaging in the Tenant Engagement System

Next steps

Following the board's approval, Toronto Community Housing will continue to work with tenants to implement changes to the Tenant Engagement System. Milestones include:

  • establishing the Interim Funding Tables and Tenant Action Funds (formerly known as Tenant Council Funds)
  • communities voting on their local engagement model
  • establishing committees for communities that voted for the building/townhouse committee model
  • holding tenant elections for communities that voted for community representative model
  • establishing Tenant Community Action Tables (formerly Tenant Councils) and the City-Wide Tenant-Staff Governance Oversight Committee
  • implementing training and capacity building for tenants participating in the Tenant Engagement System

Quote

"The Tenant Engagement System is a result of extensive work of staff and tenants working in collaboration to create a system that meets the diverse needs of TCHC's tenant population. The approval of the Tenant Engagement System marks an important milestone in improving how Toronto Community Housing delivers tenant engagement at the local and corporate levels."

- William Mendes, Acting Vice President, Tenant and Community Services

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About Toronto Community Housing

Toronto Community Housing is Canada's largest social housing landlord, providing homes for nearly 60,000 low and moderate-income households in neighbourhoods across the city. We are wholly owned by the City of Toronto and our 2,100 buildings represent a $10-billion public asset.
 

TCHC media line: 416-737-1352 or media@torontohousing.ca.
Engagement Refresh hotline: 416-981-4435 or EngagementRefresh@torontohousing.ca