Request for Qualifications Issued to Select Non-profit Housing Corporation for Affordable Rental Housing

April 19, 2011, TORONTO, ON – Infrastructure Ontario released a request for qualifications (RFQ) today to qualify non-profit housing corporations to participate in a request for proposals to own and operate affordable rental housing buildings being developed as part of the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games Athletes’ Village in the West Don Lands.

The successful non-profit housing corporation(s) will purchase approximately 400 units that will become affordable rental homes following the Games. The units will be located across several buildings and will include a range of suite mixes, including fully accessible units, to support low to moderate income individuals and families.

The vision for the Toronto 2015 Games includes a newly-constructed, self-contained Athletes’ Village on a 9.6-acre provincially owned site in the West Don Lands. After the Games, the Village area will become a mixed-use, inclusive, pedestrian-friendly riverside community that meets the diverse needs of its residents, as outlined in Waterfront Toronto’s Precinct Plan for the West Don Lands. The master planned community will include a range of housing types and unit sizes to accommodate a variety of family sizes, income levels and age groups. Approximately 20 per cent of the housing units will be affordable rental housing, five per cent affordable ownership, and the remainder market value condominiums.

The process to select the consortium that will design, build and finance the construction of the Athletes’ Village is currently in an open request for proposals phase. The successful proponent will be selected and announced in summer 2011, at which point construction will commence. The Athletes’ Village project is proceeding under Infrastructure Ontario’s Alternative Financing and Procurement model, whereby risks associated with designing, constructing, and financing the facilities are transferred to the private sector.

The new West Don Lands neighbourhood will be built based on Waterfront Toronto’s vision for a green, modern and vibrant community as outlined in the Precinct Plan for the West Don Lands. The buildings within the Athletes’ Village aim to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold certification for new construction. LEED® standards focus on healthy indoor environments, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and efficient use of energy, water and other resources.

The RFQ, available at www.merx.com, is the first step in the process to select non-profit housing corporations for the affordable rental housing component of the Athletes’ Village project. RFQ submissions will be reviewed to qualify non-profits with the management experience and capacity as well as the financial resources to own and operate one or more of the affordable housing buildings. Short-listed non-profit housing corporations will be invited to respond to a request for proposals in summer 2011. It is encouraged that the non-profit corporations will partner with other organizations to deliver diverse housing and address service needs.

Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to delivering some of the province’s larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects - ensuring they are built on time and on budget – as well as providing the public sector and not-for-profit organizations with long-term financing to renew their infrastructure.

The Governments of Canada and Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto’s waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization.

Quotes:

Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure
“The Athletes’ Village in the West Don Lands will be a showcase community where design excellence, sustainability and technology come together. The project will deliver the legacy of a new community and infrastructure for Toronto’s waterfront.”

Honourable Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
“These hundreds of new housing units will help many people in need have a safe and affordable place to call home. By supporting affordable housing projects, we are helping to build stronger communities, here in Toronto and across the province.”

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Contacts:

Mandy Downes, Infrastructure Ontario
Tari Stork, Waterfront Toronto