Amidst a continued rise in the cost of living — and with no relief in sight — our region is rapidly becoming unaffordable, even for many hard-working, middle-income residents.  

Beyond the desperate plight of the unhoused and those who suffer from unstable housing, a growing majority of our workforce — especially young people and families — face almost daily pressures to make ends meet, often travelling long distances to work and struggling with their quality of life.

This includes healthcare professionals, teachers, transit operators, retail and hospitality staff, skilled tradespeople, municipal employees, community service workers, and more — all the essential people that make our cities run, and our region a great place to work, live, and play.

When they leave — and if young people no longer choose these jobs for fear of never affording a home — we will lose what makes us special. And much, much more.

Care when we're ill. Educators for our children. Great places to eat, play, and relax with family and friends. Vibrant communities. The people who build and maintain our homes, streets, and way of life. The lifeblood of our city. Drivers of our economy. Our future tax base.

We'll put even more pressure on subsidized housing and shelters, and more people will end up on the streets.

But we have a choice. There IS hope.  

It's time to rally together and build stronger, more complete communities faster, at lower cost.  

There ARE answers when banks, investors, developers, builders, employers, government, nonprofits, and citizens ALL work together on common solutions to avert this crisis.  

The future of the GTHA depends on us.