Building a Thriving Toronto: Insights from This City Live

On February 18, This City Live—Toronto Life’s landmark event presented in partnership with Tricon Residential—gathered some of the city’s sharpest minds in urban development, real estate and policy to chart the course for Toronto’s future. Held at the University of Toronto’s Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, the evening featured thought-provoking conversations on the urgent challenges facing the city, from housing accessibility and mobility to the need for sustainable, community-driven growth.

Protecting Toronto’s Social Infrastructure The event opened with a conversation between SJC Media Group publisher Jason Maghanoy and Ruth Crammond, vice-president of community infrastructure at United Way Greater Toronto. Their discussion centred the growing displacement of critical community spaces—child care centres, food banks and cultural hubs—as Toronto’s relentless development boom reshapes the urban landscape.

Crammond highlighted findings from United Way’s Essential Spaces report, which revealed that 70 per cent of non-profits in Toronto operate in rental spaces, making them vulnerable to soaring costs and redevelopment pressures. “Growth should and can be a good thing,” Crammond noted. “But we need intentional strategies to ensure that, as our city expands, we don’t displace the very institutions that make it livable.”

On Housing and Collaboration Mayor Olivia Chow delivered a keynote emphasizing the need for affordable housing and stronger collaboration between government, private developers and non-profit organizations.

She shared an example of a 51-unit housing project designed to support marginalized residents, complete with onsite health care and mental health services. “A home isn’t just a roof over your head,” said Chow. “It’s about safety, community and the ability to rebuild your life.”

Chow also noted that Toronto is losing housing 14 times faster than it’s being built, with 26,000 people on wait lists for supportive housing. “We need every level of government to step up,” she urged, calling on federal and provincial leaders to match the city’s efforts to accelerate new housing.

Housing, Transit, and the Future of the City In a marquee panel moderated by Maghanoy, industry leaders discussed Toronto’s biggest urban challenges, from housing affordability to transit congestion to economic sustainability. A recurring theme emerged: without a unified approach, the city risks gridlock—not just on its roads but in its overall progress.

Andrew Joyner, managing director at Tricon Residential, reinforced the need for a Team Canada approach to housing policy. “There’s a huge opportunity to increase the level of coordination among all three levels of government so policies work together to unlock more rental housing supply, the very type of housing Canada needs more of,” he said.

Beyond affordability, mobility was another urgent concern. Laura Miller, head of public policy and communications at Uber Canada, pointed to worsening congestion and the need for alternative transit solutions. “We have to make it easier for people to get out of their cars,” she said, advocating for better public transit, expanded bike lanes, and integrated mobility options like ride-sharing and scooters.

Public spaces also play a crucial role in shaping a livable city, argued Jen Angel, CEO of Evergreen. “Great cities have spaces that bring people together,” she said, highlighting the 72-kilometre Loop Trail as an example of how Toronto’s natural landscape can be better woven into daily life.

While infrastructure and urban design are essential, Satish Kanwar, co-founder of Good Future, warned that Toronto’s greatest economic challenges lie in retaining its talent. “We don’t have an innovation problem—we have a retention problem,” he said.

Our Economic Uncertainty The closing conversation between Gary Berman, CEO of Tricon Residential, and Benjamin Tal, deputy chief economist at CIBC, addressed the need for thriving cities and greater prosperity for all. “Toronto is Canada’s economic growth engine, and we need to ensure that Toronto continues to be a place where companies invest and grow and, in doing so, create economic opportunities for young people to grow their careers, raise families and thrive,” said Berman.

Tal reinforced the importance of better government coordination to support purpose-built rental housing. He pointed out that conflicting policies at different levels of government are making it harder to bring new supply to market, ultimately working against affordability.

The evening ended on a note of optimism. Toronto’s potential remains undeniable. But, without bold action, its biggest challenges will only grow. The way forward is clear: government, business and community leaders must align their efforts not just to keep Toronto livable but to help it thrive.

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