Toronto housing complex may be rebuilt years after ceiling collapse

A public housing property that residents were forced to leave after a ceiling collapse two years ago could finally be rebuilt if a new plan is approved — but likely won't be ready for several years. 

A new Toronto Community Housing Corporation report suggests the complex at Swansea Mews could be rebuilt to include hundreds of additional units.

The report presented to the TCHC's building investment, finance and audit committee on Monday, proposes a new complex of up to 695,000 square feet that would include replacements for the 154 existing public housing units and another 550 to 700 new units. It is not clear in the report if the additional units are also intended for public housing.

The complex was marked for demolition after the collapse, when engineers found all of the buildings unsafe for habitation.

Swansea Mews residents, including Jardel Sallay-Ferreria and his family, were eventually relocated to other public housing complexes. 

"It was pretty rough because … that's where all my memories are," he told CBC Toronto. "Any person who has a home could sympathize with that. The idea of having to lose it, right? I took it pretty bad."

The existing complex of 175,000 square feet is spread across nine smaller buildings.

The proposed complex includes three new buildings in the same location near Windermere Avenue and The Queensway.

City working diligently to rebuild: Perks

Gord Perks, city councillor for Parkdale–High Park, told CBC Toronto the city is working as diligently as it can to get the rebuild project underway. 

Once the initial development plan is approved by the TCHC board, it will then go to city council for their approval, he said. 

"Then we'll start in on our rezoning and get a new building put there."

But Perks does admit the project has taken a long time to get going. 

"The previous mayor wasn't as committed to publicly and socially-owned housing as the current mayor is," he said.  "So, you know, we could have done better in that." 

He also outlined that the city is in the process of reapplying for federal funding for the project. Previous funding was approved for repairs to the existing complex, but rebuilding requires a different process. 

In a statement provided to CBC Toronto, a representative for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the federal entity responsible for this financing, said it can't disclose details of ongoing applications.

"CMHC is committed to continuing our work with TCHC to reach positive housing solutions for Toronto through National Housing Strategy programs and initiatives," the statement said.

Perks reiterated that the city is working quickly on its side of a potential agreement, but timing will also depend on that federal funding. 

"I can't give an exact timeline on that, but we're optimistic that this will move quickly," he said. 

Ahead of Monday's report, TCHC told CBC Toronto that the agency plans to present the initial development plan to city council before the end of this year. 

Call for open channel between residents and TCHC

Sallay-Ferreria now lives with his mother and two younger brothers at another TCHC complex in Scarborough. He's hopeful to one day move into the rebuilt complex.

In the meantime, he wants former residents like himself to be informed of what's happening and be involved in the decision-making process. 

"I feel like … the main struggle has been communication," he said. "We need to have some sort of open channel so we can actually, you know, feel like we're getting something out of this."

In the provided statement, TCHC said once the initial development plan is approved by city council, it will "launch a detailed community engagement process" in 2025. 

Though the rebuilding process is expected to take years, Sallay-Ferreria said he'll work on convincing his family to move back to a neighbourhood full of memories and friendly faces.

"They like this place a lot better," he said. "But I mean, we'll see if I can change their minds."