Rising rental costs and redevelopment of community spaces have left agencies struggling to pay rent or forced to relocate out of the neighbourhoods they serve, putting access to services and supports at risk. United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) is responding to this crisis with an unprecedented move to protect the social services ecosystem: by stepping into social purpose real estate.
“We are hearing from our funded agencies that they’re getting displaced,” said Ruth Crammond, UWGT’s vice-president of community infrastructure. About 70 per cent of UWGT’s not-for-profit agency spaces are leased, “so they’re in locations that are precarious” as the Greater Toronto Area experiences rapid growth and revitalization.