By Claude & Parth on 2026-03-24, City: Toronto, View Transcript
This was the ninth meeting of the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee, chaired by Deputy Mayor Amber Moley. The committee discussed two major policy frameworks: advancing the Toronto Strong Neighborhoods Strategy through a new evidence-based planning tool, and addressing disproportionate eviction rates affecting Black residents in both Toronto Community Housing and private rental units. The meeting concluded with a controversial 7-3 vote approving a temporary moratorium on arrears-related evictions from Toronto Community Housing during the municipal election recess period.
The city is developing a comprehensive evidence-based planning tool, in partnership with United Way, to replace outdated neighborhood prioritization methods from 2005 and 2014. The tool will combine census tract-level quantitative data with qualitative community narratives to identify "pockets of need" across Toronto's 158 neighborhoods. Full implementation is planned for 2027. Councillor May moved a motion calling for Social Development Plan funding of $250,000 to $500,000 per neighborhood to be included in the 2027 budget, arguing: "If we are serious about confronting anti-black racism, we have to be just about serious about the conditions that allow these communities to thrive." The motion passed unanimously with an amendment requiring the city manager to report back as part of the 2027 budget process.
City Council approved the Jane-Finch Community Development Plan in 2024, allocating $50,000 in operational budget plus a partnership with United Way for an additional $1 million investment over multiple years. The plan covers approximately 70,000 residents across Glenfield Jane Heights and Black Creek neighborhoods over a 25-year implementation period. Unlike Regent Park's revitalization model, this approach emphasizes equity and reconciliation to address historic marginalization, with implementation structures including a resident leadership circle, community assemblies, and monitoring mechanisms.
Speakers presented alarming data showing Black tenants face nearly double the eviction rate compared to other residents, even when controlling for poverty. Black residents account for 10% of Toronto's population but 58% of homeless survey respondents. Toronto Community Housing's eviction rate increased from 0.58% in 2024 to 0.96% in 2025. Tamana Yasmin from Regent Park Neighborhood Association called for three specific actions: a pause on evictions while an independent review is conducted, implementation of race-disaggregated data collection, and sustained investment in social development plans. She emphasized: "Eviction is not just a housing issue. It is a racial justice issue."
TCHC staff presented their eviction prevention process, which goes beyond legal minimums by working with tenants for up to six weeks before serving notices and up to 45 days before applying to the Landlord Tenant Board. Of 576 eviction notices in 2025, only 61 resulted in completed evictions for arrears and 148 for non-arrears issues. TCHC announced development of a data equity framework and anti-Black racism lens for evictions, expected Q2-Q3 2027. A new Center for Advancing the Interests of Black People will review all eviction cases involving Black families. However, TCHC acknowledged they currently cannot track identity-based data "with appropriate rigor" and do not systematically track what happens to tenants after eviction.
Councillor Will moved a motion for a temporary moratorium on arrears-related evictions from Toronto Community Housing from July 30th to November 15th, 2026, during the municipal election recess. He argued: "When someone is evicted from TCHC, they're not moving to another unit down the street. Too often they're moving into homelessness, into shelters, into overcrowded conditions, or into complete housing instability." The motion also requested TCHC report by Q4 2026 on demographics of tenants facing eviction and interventions to prevent evictions. Deputy Mayor Moley opposed the motion, citing concerns about unintended consequences and community safety when dealing with problematic units. The motion passed 7-3.
Passed: - Motion to develop a neighborhood assessment tool and citywide framework for scaling social development and community development plans, with the city manager to report back as part of the 2027 budget process (passed unanimously with amendment) - Motion for temporary moratorium on arrears-related evictions from Toronto Community Housing from July 30 to November 15, 2026, and requesting TCHC report on eviction demographics by Q4 2026 (passed 7-3) - Election of May Muhammad as Vice Chair of the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee for term March 23, 2026 to November 14, 2026 (passed unanimously)
Received: - Resignation of Lucina Rakatovo from the committee effective January 19
Present: Deputy Mayor Amber Moley (Chair), Councillor May, Councillor Will, Councillor Kali, Councillor Ali, Councillor Queen, Councillor Kakoy, Councillor Kendall Ford, Councillor Mohamad, Councillor Makima, Councillor Deanna Walters, Councillor Haley Moashi, Councillor Georgia Mo, Caris Newton Thompson, Kathy Moscow