Options for Homes named an Affordable Housing Champion by the City of Toronto

Options for Homes (Options) has been delivering affordable homeownership housing for over 24 years, and now we’ve been recognized as an Affordable Housing Champion by the City of Toronto. We couldn’t be prouder! 

On Friday, March 2, the City’s Affordable Housing Committee bestowed 18 companies with a Champion award. Together, the group of honourees represented 1,094 affordable homes in 20 developments across 12 city wards, which will be ready for occupancy between 2018 and 2020. 

Options’ CEO Heather Tremain, who was honoured alongside Paul Connelly, longtime president of the Options Board, said, “I am grateful to work with the amazing team at Options, all of whom are dedicated to making a more vibrant and equitable city. We are honoured to be recognized for the work we do at Options.”

Heather’s commitment to her team was evident when she invited the 10 staff members in the committee chambers to join her and Paul in accepting the award.

Affordable Housing Committee chair and Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão thanked the non-profit and private sector partners in attendance for their dedication to building quality, affordable housing in Toronto, and called on councillors to support their efforts. "It is only through these strong and ongoing partnerships that the City can succeed in providing new affordable rental and ownership housing for Torontonians,” she said.  

As Mayor John Tory congratulated all the honourees, he added that he viewed this as a muted celebration because its celebrating getting back on track and that even the targets set by the city are woefully short of the demand for affordable housing in this city.

“There is still much to do,” said Tory. “I’m very impatient about this. This is the single biggest component in closing the gap between those who are comfortable and those who are struggling.”

The challenge, he said, it to take all the efforts made by this group and scale them up. 

The 18 organizations recognized at the Affordable Housing Committee meeting were: 

• Artscape 
• CollecDev 
• Daniels Corporation 
• Egale Canada Human Rights Trust 
• Habitat for Humanity GTA
• Hines Interests Limited Partnership 
• Humewood House 
• Madison View Homes Inc. 
• Malibu Investments 
• Native Men's Residence 
• Options for Homes 
• Rockport Group 
• St. Clare's Multifaith Housing Society 
• Toronto Community Housing Corporation 
• Tridel 
• Trillium Housing 
• Westbank Corporation 
• WoodGreen Community Services Corporation