Toronto's new affordable housing lottery prioritizes those stuck on waitlist

Have you been waiting forever to find affordable housing in Toronto? A new system could finally give you a shot. 

The city is changing its affordable housing approach with a strategy that prioritizes those who have been waiting the longest, alongside a lottery system. 

The change comes as the city continues to see huge demand for subsidized housing as market rates remain out of reach for many. 

The city's latest update from 2024 shows there were 92,965 people on the city's waiting list for social housing – up from 75,191 in 2019. 

Here's what you need to know about changes to the affordable housing lottery, set to launch in mid to late 2025.

Currently, housing providers launch an expression of interest period, during which people can sign up. 

When this period closes, the list of names is randomized. People can then apply for the housing in order of the randomized list. 

"After successful applicants from the top of the randomized list have accepted homes, the remaining households will comprise the waitlist for homes upon turnover," according to the city's website. 

This waitlist is first-come, first served, unless applicants qualify for priority access. Ranked in order of priority, these groups are: 

But in July 2022, city council adopted a report that included a new affordable rental housing allocation approach.  

Under this new approach, for buildings that have more than 10 units, half the applicants will be selected through a lottery system, said Doug Rollins, director of housing stability services at the city's housing secretariat. 

The other half will be selected through a new waitlist that gives people priority based on how long they've been waiting for affordable housing. 

This change means people not included in the priority list — such as newcomers to the city or those whose financial status has changed — will have the opportunity to access a unit in a new development, the city said. 

"A 50/50 split provides an equal opportunity for those that have been waiting the longest, while balancing the need for households that may require immediate housing through a random draw option," the city said in an email to CBC Toronto.