Toronto performs an about-face on tiny homes by launching a new shelter program

Toronto is reconsidering the merits of tiny homes. The city recently announced that it’s seeking proposals from non-profits to participate in a two-year micro-shelter pilot, offering municipal funding to organizations capable of designing and running small, purpose-built communities for people experiencing homelessness. The sites would be paired with support systems to help residents transition into permanent housing.

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The pilot represents a clear about-face from the city. In 2021, carpenter Khaleel Seivwright made headlines when he began constructing makeshift tiny homes for unhoused people living in public spaces such as Moss Park. City officials eventually dismantled the structures, citing safety concerns, even as traditional shelters reduced their intake and Toronto’s homeless population and encampments continued to grow. The city then issued an injunction forcing Seivwright to stop his charitable work. The crackdown drew public criticism and ignited debate over whether small, private shelters could offer a safer and more dignified alternative to tents.

Now, micro-shelters are being folded into city hall’s 10-year Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy, aimed at stabilizing its overburdened shelter system. But the tiny homes pilot comes with a major hurdle: successful applicants must supply the land themselves, either by owning it, leasing it or obtaining a landowner’s permission—a steep requirement in a city where vacant lots are almost non-existent.

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City staff recently reviewed 44 municipally owned sites and concluded that none met the pilot’s size and location criteria. They’re now exploring underused TTC parking lots as potential locations. Another idea floated by shelter providers is to use privately owned parcels awaiting redevelopment, allowing micro-shelters to operate temporarily before construction begins.