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Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Toronto Mayor confident city's compromise on sixplexes won't risk federal housing funding
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says she's confident that $30-million in federal housing funding is not at risk despite council's refusal to permit sixplexes across the entirety of the city − a condition of its agreement with Ottawa. 'Look at me. Do I look worried?' Ms. Chow told The Globe and Mail on Friday at a meeting with its editorial board. In late June, Toronto City Council passed a motion allowing sixplexes 'as of right' in nine of the city's 25 wards. Those wards are in downtown Toronto, East York and part of Scarborough. As-of-right zoning means property owners don't require additional permission to build up to six units on one lot. The initial proposal was to permit such buildings across the entire city, but it was amended because of fears that it did not have majority support and would be shot down, Ms. Chow said. Earlier this year, then-federal housing minister Nate Erskine-Smith warned Ms. Chow in a letter that any deviation from a citywide policy permitting such buildings would result in 25 per cent less federal funding. That amounts to nearly $30-million of the total $118-million that Ottawa has pledged annually to Toronto from its Housing Accelerator Fund. However, the new Housing Minister, Gregor Robertson, who was appointed by Prime Minister Mark Carney in May, has not indicated whether he will follow his predecessor's lead. On Friday, Ms. Chow said that Mr. Robertson, a former Vancouver mayor, understands the housing crisis and the challenges posed by municipal politics. 'I don't think there should be any clawback because our new housing minister has been a mayor and he would understand that it's not that simple to push things through,' Ms. Chow said. Toronto wrangles with a simple question: What is a multiplex? Allowing sixplexes is one of eight 'milestones' in Toronto's agreement to receive $471-million over four years from the federal government. Ottawa is negotiating funding agreements with more than 170 municipalities. Previously, Toronto permitted the as-of-right building of fourplexes across the city, a policy that was introduced in 2023. Since that time, construction has been completed on 108 multiplexes. The federal funding is meant to boost housing across Canada by rewarding 'ambitious housing initiatives from local governments' a spokesperson for Canada's housing ministry wrote in a statement. Multiplex housing is a key feature of Ottawa's plan. Erecting such housing is attractive to property owners looking to turn a profit or homeowners keen on multigenerational living. The city's zoning changes allow for what's known as 'gentle density,' where an increasing number of people live more closely together. In her interview with The Globe and Mail's editorial board, Ms. Chow said Toronto's housing plan is ambitious, citing faster development approvals and eviction-prevention programs. 'I would dare say we're more ambitious than the federal government,' Ms. Chow said. However, not all agree. The city's housing approach is incremental, not ambitious, said Sean Galbraith, a principal at a private-sector urban-planning company. 'I don't consider these to be bold changes at all. They're not even co-ordinated changes across departments,' Mr. Galbraith said. Mr. Galbraith's developer clients are interested in sixplexes but high city fees stop them from building, even in parts of the city that now allow them by right. To build a sixplex for rentals, developers are charged between $63,000 and $68,000 per unit by the city, he said. 'There is currently a strong punishment if you actually want to do five or six units,' Mr. Galbraith said about building multiplexes. Opinion: On housing, Toronto fails a crucial test The suburbs surrounding downtown Toronto are in demand, Mr. Gailbraith said. The areas have larger lots, schools, shops and are close to the city centre, but these are also the areas that don't permit sixplexes as of right. Suburban councillors say expanding building permissions outside the city centre risks overcrowding and raising prices. 'Why don't we just ask the people what they want?' Councillor Stephen Holyday said during the city council debate. 'They're not satisfied with ramming through sixplexes in communities that were never designed to house them.' On Friday, Ms. Chow said property owners have been slow to embrace the multiplex and said she hopes to make constructing such housing 'simpler, faster and cheaper.' 'We really need to sell it. Three units, four units. It's already allowed. People are not doing it,' she said. In 2024, the city broke ground on 20,999 new homes, fulfilling 88 per cent of a target set by the provincial government.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Sask.'s mortgage delinquency rate is highest among provinces, but it's getting worse in Ont. and B.C.
Social Sharing Tyler Fransen lost his Saskatoon home this spring after he missed mortgage payments due to financial circumstances and life situations that sent him over the tipping point. "I just felt a little defeated," said Fransen, whose father recently died from cancer. "I was trying to do this by myself and I didn't want to burden any of my family. We've got a lot going on." Fransen lost his job as a contractor during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then came inflation on materials, gas and groceries. Paying for his mortgage became more and more difficult. "I, just like everybody else, am not perfect and so for me to share this, it'll give somebody out there the idea that they're not alone, because that's what I felt for a while," he said. Fransen isn't alone in his struggle. Many homeowners in Saskatchewan and across the country are falling behind on mortgage payments, according to the latest statistics. WATCH | Sask. has the highest rate among provinces of homeowners falling behind on their mortgage payments: Sask. has the highest rate among provinces of homeowners falling behind on their mortgage payments 10 hours ago Duration 2:13 Tyler Franson is falling behind on his mortgage payments and is not alone in Saskatchewan. But analysts say it's not as bad as it looks for the province. Sask. has highest rate of all provinces According to Equifax Canada, Saskatchewan had the highest mortgage delinquency rate (0.37 per cent) in Q1 2025 out of all provinces and almost double the national average (0.19 per cent). However, experts say Saskatchewan is in a better spot than it might appear. Rebecca Oakes, vice-president of advanced analytics at Equifax, said fewer people are missing mortgage payments in Saskatchewan than five years ago. "It's not great news, but it's an improving picture. Whereas areas like Ontario are still seeing significant increases," Oakes said. "I know for Ontario in particular, I think this is the highest level we've ever seen." Matt Fabian, director of financial services at TransUnion Canada, agreed. "Saskatchewan economy continues to grow, it has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada," Fabian said. "I think when we look across Canada, Southern Ontario and British Columbia are still facing severe affordability challenges and higher delinquency." Fabian said many people are facing payment shock that comes with renewing mortgages at rates that are much high than what was available during the pandemic. Inflation making everything else more expensive is a double-whammy. "You might be renewing at a double or triple the rate that you've ever had," Fabian said. "That has created this payment shock where we've seen average monthly mortgage payments go up anywhere from 10 per cent to double." The bigger picture Both experts said they're watching closely as mortgage renewals continue, banks continue cutting rates, and tariffs from the U.S. remain a key factor in economic stability. "These kinds of delinquency rates will start to stabilize as interest rates and inflation come down. What we're really looking at is the impact of things like tariffs," Fabian said. "When you think about where tariffs will be imposed, we don't think it'll be a national increase. We think those regions that have industries that are targeted for tariffs might start to see unemployment rates tick up, which usually is a foreshadowing of some delinquency." For Fransen, the experience of losing a home he put his time, effort and money into has been painful, but he's trying to look at the bright side. He said he can now focus more on being there for his mother and himself. For now, the bank has allowed him to stay in the home until the foreclosure and legal processes are complete. "This situation, it's created movement in my life, and I'm grateful for that," Fransen said. "I felt I was a little stuck."
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
‘You don't know what you don't know': Why gen Z may struggle with soft skills at work
COVID-19 changed the way we work and for many in generation Z, also known as gen Z, it also disrupted the way they learn how to work. Having entered the workforce during lockdowns and remote classes, a lot of young professionals missed out on the in-person learning that comes with internships and early jobs. Now, as return-to-office policies kick in and many companies bring employees back into a shared space, some experts say gen-Zers may need a bit of guidance. 'It's in all kinds of companies,' said Julie Blais Comeau, chief etiquette officer at in a phone interview with CTV 'What is now lacking (are) the communication skills, the interpersonal skills.' Born between 1997 and 2012, according to Statistics Canada, gen-Z workers are entering the workforce during a period of generational change and those gaps are becoming more visible. 'We're at a time where the newer generations are more educated than ever,' said Blais Comeau. 'They have bachelor's degrees, they have master's degrees … but the whole side of the people skills, what is often referred to as the 'soft skills,' are not as developed.' 'You don't know what you don't know' Experts say the reasons are complex. Blais Comeau points to shifting family dynamics and the decline of once-routine social learning moments, such as Sunday family dinners, as contributing factors. She also says schools have also pulled back on teaching basic manners and professional behaviours. Susy Fossati, director of Avignon Etiquette in Toronto, says what's being described as a gen-Z problem starts long before they enter the workforce and it's not necessarily their fault. 'You don't know what you don't know,' she said in a video interview with CTV 'Whether (it's) a skill that they were never taught in school, whether they were not taught at home, whether they were not taught correctly … and then decided, you know what, this is not important.' Ashley Kelly, founder and CEO of the workplace inclusion consultancy CultureAlly, says gen-Zers simply missed out on the 'micro-lessons' that previous generations learned through in-person exposure. 'They came into the workforce during COVID,' said Kelly in a video interview with CTV 'They missed out on a ton of these micro-lessons that you pick up just by being in the office — seeing how people dress, how they handle tough conversations, how they show up in meetings.' Kelly says this lack of in-office experience has left many younger employees uncertain about workplace norms, especially when it comes to things like boundaries, body language and communication tone. 'The blurred professional boundaries is a thing,' she said. 'Gen Z grew up online. Casual communication was the norm for them. I think a lot of them do struggle to shift to a more formal method of communication.' 'They do want to learn' Still, Kelly says it's important to recognize gen Z's contributions to the work culture. 'They bring a ton of positives to the workforce,' she said. They really value transparency, flexibility and inclusion,' she said. 'I'll say too: they push organizations to live up to those values, and I think that that's really good for everyone and for business in general.' Kelly also stresses that the generation is eager to improve. 'They're really eager to learn and grow, and they want that feedback, and they want clear expectations,' she said. 'They do want to learn.' Blais Comeau says she sees that eagerness firsthand in her workshops and coaching sessions. She says the response from gen-Z participants is consistently positive. Both she and Fossati argue that etiquette should be reframed, not as rigid rules, but as a tool for confidence, clarity and connection — especially in today's multigenerational workplaces. 'We actually have five generations of people in the workforce,' Fossati said. 'That in and of itself is a diversity that we have to embrace … the more open we are to sharing our wealth of knowledge with one another, I think just the richer everyone comes out of it.'
