In My Opinion: Stop blaming new immigrants for all of Toronto’s problems

By AMARACHI AMADIKE

It’s easy to blame all of Toronto’s recent shortcomings on the influx of immigrants entering the city. Like clockwork, communities experiencing economic hardships are known to reach for the lowest hanging fruit which is, more often than not, pointing fingers at newcomers.

But as Torontonians – as Canadians – we cannot afford to fall for this rhetoric.

As much as the federal government has failed Canadians with their irresponsible immigration policy, the truth of the matter is that Toronto’s housing crisis cannot be blamed on the increasing amount of migrant workers and students entering the city.

Rather the focus needs to shift back to the failing policies of a provincial government that appears to be sacrificing rental affordability for condominium projects.

There has been a focus on increasing housing starts across Ontario. But with 52 per cent of Torontonians identifying as homeowners, it becomes easier to understand why many elected politicians’ focus on “protecting the middle class.”

Ever so often, I hear the rhetoric that Canada is expecting 1.5 million newcomers by 2025 with housing starts that are only expected to reach an “average 264,000 annualized pace” by the same year, according to a BNN Bloomberg report.

The provincial government uses this sort of messaging to justify their push to build new homes at the expense of policies that protect the remaining 48 per cent of Torontonians who identify as renters.
But, I wonder if this is a sign of lack of foresight.

The individuals who are expected to enter Canada over the next few years are doing so under work visas. Most times temporary. The same goes for international students who make up a large percentage of Toronto’s immigrant population.

This could mean that the ratio of renters to homeowners will inevitably shift, especially considering Canada’s housing crisis which has seen an unprecedented number of halted development projects and high housing costs for first-time home buyers.

Considering that immigrants coming in will mainly be renters, shouldn’t there be more emphasis in protecting rental costs?

I think so. But the province, instead, promotes policies such as removing the Rental Fairness Act which has played a major role in Toronto’s inflated rental market. This is a drum I will continue to beat as long as I have ears that will listen.

Sure, removing certain policies and “red tape” will make more developers inclined to build, but the projects they are building are not purpose-built rentals for the 1.5 million expected newcomers even though they claim that is the rationale behind accelerating housing starts.

But Toronto’s issues don’t stop at the provincial government.

City politicians are also failing their constituents with wasteful ideas, i.e. renaming Dundas Street.
For months last year, Toronto Council grappled with the idea of opening up 24/7 warming centres. The general consensus was that the city couldn’t really afford to help its population. Yet, in the same breath, we entertain the idea of spending $12.7 million on renaming a street – a figure that is sure to increase by the time it happens.

If such unnecessary spending isn’t enough to antagonize you, perhaps Toronto Council’s unwillingness to exercise cost-saving measures might do the trick.

For example, Toronto is the only municipality in Ontario that has refused the province’s offer to implement open tendering – a process that promotes competitive bidding amongst companies who want contracts for taxpayer-funded projects.

To date, Toronto doesn’t accept contract bids from companies who aren’t a part of a specific group of construction unions.

As Stephen Hamilton pointed out in a Toronto Star column, “this dated and restrictive process means that billions of dollars in construction work is awarded to the same group of companies, year after year”, creating less competition and reduced incentive for fairer priced contracts.

A lack of open tendering means that Toronto is missing out on a potential $347 million in savings every year. Although it may not seem like much in comparison to the city’s current financial shortfall, these funds could easily be put towards city-owned housing projects that will nurture an environment with fair rental costs for Toronto’s increasing population.

As Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness’s (TAEH) Housing Solutions Manager Peter Martin stated in the Sept. 26 Planning and Housing Committee meeting, the latest HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan progress report highlights that for every 18 affordable housing units lost in Toronto, only one is built.

Although the city boasts about “exceeding the provincial housing supply target by 51 per cent” with 31,656 new housing starts, these are simply “housing starts” and not completed projects.

Council needs to focus on doing its own part to ensure Toronto’s affordability, rather than constantly waiting for upper levels of government to save the day.

With the offer to implement open tendering, Toronto councillors were given a rare opportunity by an upper level of government to take control of a cost saving tool. But, they said, no thank you.

I’m not implying that Toronto doesn’t need help from the federal and provincial governments. But, councillors need to fight and show that they are willing to help themselves get out of the current housing predicament.

Now more than ever, the city needs to accelerate its efforts. Because as Toronto neighbourhoods get more unaffordable, the anti-immigration rumblings gain traction.

I’m from a family of immigrants who were welcomed into Canada in a warm manner. Perhaps it’s because Canada was in a different economic state when we arrived. But, as humans, we don’t get to know who we are until we are tested with new experiences in life.

Canada is experiencing something new and it is important that, as a collective, we refrain from the low hanging fruit: blaming immigrants for our failing economy.

Rather, we need to hold our political leaders accountable and push for better-serving policies and budgetary habits that will create an environment with room for the much-needed immigrant population.

After all, what is Canada without immigrants?

During COVID-19, we applauded essential workers from our respective balconies. We did so because we appreciated their hard work. Many of these individuals we applauded were foreign workers who selflessly helped Canadians when we needed assistance. Canada cannot now turn its back on them.

Now more than ever, we must stand together and highlight what makes Canada what it is, rather than falling for political tricks that remove blame from the provincial government as well as its municipalities.

Amarachi Amadike is a reporter with Beach Metro Community News.