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Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) support and resources

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) support and resources

On this page

  1. Masks
  2. Rent matters
  3. Client Care Centre
  4. Tenant outreach
  5. Media statements
  6. Key facts about COVID-19
  7. Prevent the spread
  8. Returning from travel
  9. How to self-isolate
  10. What Toronto Community Housing is doing
  11. What's reopening / resuming
  12. Resources for tenants in English and other languages (PDFs) 
  13. Related information

Read about how Toronto Community Housing is supporting seniors and vulnerable tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Masks

A new City of Toronto bylaw requires Toronto Community Housing tenants to wear a mask or face covering in their building's lobby, laundry room, elevators or other common areas.  The new bylaw takes effect on August 5, 2020 and will remain in place until September 30, 2020 unless extended by City Council.


Rent matters

Toronto Community Housing offers key information to tenants about paying your rent, rent flexibility, notice of assessment and the deadline for filing tax returns. 

Need help? Call our 24-7 Client Care Centre at 416-981-5500 or email help@torontohousing.ca at any time to talk to a Client Care agent.

During the COVID-19 emergency, our staff are at work in our buildings and offices delivering essential services.

Call our 24-7 Client Care Centre:

  • If you are self-isolating and need help with daily living needs, such as food and medicine.
  • To request repairs. We are making emergency repairs, but all non- urgent repairs will be scheduled for a later date.
  • To make an appointment to meet with staff while our offices are closed to walk-in visitors.

Staff are making phone calls to tenants identified as having vulnerabilities to ask them what supports they need.

Our Community Safety Unit continues to operate 24/7. As always, you can call 416-921-2323 for security matters.

Want to get COVID-19 updates by email? Email help@torontohousing.ca with the message "Sign Me Up" in the subject line.

To download copies of the COVID-19 posters for tenants, check out our resources section. 

Outreach to tenants

Toronto Community Housing staff are reaching out to tenants who may need help with daily living needs, such as food and medicine. Staff are doing wellness checks for all tenants who have been previously identified as having vulnerabilities.

We are also encouraging tenants to tell us if they are self-isolating or ill. It's voluntary, but having this information will help us to connect you to supports you may need. 

Food security

Food banks operated by agencies remain open in our buildings, with special precautions in place for cleanliness and social-distancing.

We are working with volunteer networks to ensure we can deliver food to tenants who are self-isolating and need help with daily living needs, such as food and medicine, during the COVID-19 emergency.

We are also working with our partner agencies, including health agencies and food bank providers, to fill any gaps when agencies have had to cut back services.

Social distancing measures

Toronto Community Housing has put in place these social distancing measures to protect public health and help slow the spread of COVID-19.

  • Our offices are open, but closed to walk-in visits until further notice. Staff will meet with tenants by appointment.
  • Community rooms, recreation rooms and amenity spaces are closed to social gatherings. Food programs delivered by agencies will continue to operate.
  • Laundry rooms remain open and will be cleaned several times a day.
  • We are continuing to provide emergency repairs, but all other requests will be completed at a later date.
  • In-suite capital work is suspended until further notice, except for repairs to fire life safety equipment and window air conditioner exchanges. Vendors doing this work will wear personal protective equipment to safeguard tenants.
  • All 2020 Tenant Election activities and all public meetings are suspended.

TCHC is also taking the following measures in our communities.

  • We are cleaning and disinfecting our buildings three times daily, seven days a week, with a focus on common areas and all frequently touched surfaces.
  • We are advising people not to visit our buildings if they have returned from travel outside Canada or have respiratory illness, cough, fever or trouble breathing.

Media statements

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that circulate in animals, including humans, and may cause illness in them. Human coronaviruses are common and can range from mild illnesses, such as the common cold, to severe illnesses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS CoV).

COVID-19 symptoms range from mild to severe and include fever, cough, muscle aches and tiredness, and difficulty breathing. Less common symptoms such as sore throat, headache and diarrhea have been reported.

If you become ill with COVID-19 symptoms, you should self-isolate. Stay home and avoid close contact with others, including those in your home. Contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 and your primary care provider's office.

What you can do to prevent infection and the spread of germs

Toronto Public Health advises the following measures to help prevent respiratory illness and its transmission:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for 15 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are ill.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then immediately throw the tissue in the garbage and wash your hands.
  • If you don't have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve or arm.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Stay home if you become ill with respiratory symptoms, cough or fever.

Recent travel advisories

Toronto Public Health advises that if you have recently travelled to Hubei Province (China), Iran or Italy, or have had close contact with a person ill with COVID-19, you should self-isolate and contact Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600 as soon as possible.

Toronto Public Health is advising anyone who has returned from travel outside Canada since March 2, 2020 to self-isolate for a period of 14 days.

The Public Health Agency of Canada strongly recommends all Canadians avoid non-essential travel outside Canada until further notice.

Self-isolation

Self-isolate to limit COVID-19 spread

Self-isolation is an important way to protect public health and limit the spread of COVID-19 infection.

You must stay home and self-isolate for 14 days if:

  • You have been diagnosed with COVID-19
  • You have the signs and symptoms of COVID-19
  • You are waiting for COVID-19 test results
  • You have recently returned from travel outside Canada

It is strongly recommended that you stay home if you are over 70 years of age, have a weak immune system or a medical condition.

Self-isolation means staying in your home, limiting visitors, avoiding contact with others and keeping away from seniors and people with weak immune systems or a medical condition.

If you think you may have symptoms of COVID-19 and have decided to self-isolate, you should contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000, Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600 or your doctor / primary health care provider's office. Call ahead about your symptoms and travel history before your visit. This will enable them to prepare for your visit and protect their staff and other patients.

We encourage tenants who are self-isolating to advise us by contacting the Client Care Centre at 416-981-5500 or help@torontohousing.ca.  

What TCHC is doing

Our response to the coronavirus threat is informed by the principles established by Toronto Public Health and the expert advice they provide. We are following that advice to support the health and safety of tenants and our employees.

Actions taken to date include:

  • We are offering rent flexibility to market rent and RGI tenants who have employment income loss because of COVID-19.
  • We have proactively identified safety procedures and protocols to guide staff in the event a presumptive or confirmed case of COVID-2019 occurs.
  • We are stepping up the cleaning protocols for all buildings.
  • We have established an emergency operations centre to coordinate our COVID-19 response.
  • We are maintaining regular and direct communications with Toronto Public Health.
  • We are developing protocols for identifying tenants who self-isolate and for connecting them to needed supports
  • We have issued regular updates to our employees, including advice on how they can direct tenants to get information about COVID-19 from Toronto Public Health.

 We are also posting information about COVID-19 in our buildings to share basic facts about COVID-19.


What's reopening / resuming

While still closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation, we are beginning to safely and gradually restart services and reopen amenities. 


We are using a phased approach to responsibly restart services and reopen amenities that were temporarily suspended, while following all safety measures prescribed by the City of Toronto and Toronto Public Health directives. We will continue to take every precaution to protect your health and safety. 


The following services and amenities are either open or being reopened by TCHC. Please note that capacity numbers at amenity spaces are subject to change according to Toronto Public Health guidelines and recommendations and depending on the property. Please check amenity spaces for signs that indicate capacity and social distancing measures required at each space and for each type of service.

  • Pools
  • Faith-based service amenity spaces
  • Playgrounds
  • Gardens
  • Sport fields
  • Sports courts
  • Cooling rooms
  • Enhanced cleaning
  • In-suite capital work
  • In-suite maintenance
  • Parking enforcement

 Important reopening documents


Resources for tenants (PDFs)

Download the latest posters and key information related to COVID-19 for your community. 

COVID-19 update to tenants - July 15, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - June 29, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - May 15, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - May 14, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - May 11, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - May 1, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - April 27, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - April 8, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - April 6, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - March 27, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - March 26, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - March 25, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - March 23, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - March 19, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - March 18, 2020

COVID-19 update to tenants - March 16, 2020 poster

How to protect yourself information card created by Toronto Public Health 

For more information on COVID-19

The City of Toronto's COVID-19 website has up- to-date information on the City's response to the COVID-19 emergency. The toronto.ca/covid-19 website managed by Toronto Public Health has a wealth of information on the current situation, on how to protect yourself, what to do if you're sick after you travel and how to recognize possible symptoms. Other sites include: