Mayor Olivia Chow is seeking to extend the deadline to sign up for the subsidized housing waiting list

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, facing a situation where the city administration has encountered strong reactions, is taking last-minute measures to ensure that individuals who have been waiting for subsidized housing for years are not removed from the waiting list.

Individuals must submit their applications online by next Sunday. This deadline is rapidly approaching, and activists have warned that thousands of people may lose their spot on this waiting list. Approximately 33,600 families are on the waiting list for income-based subsidized housing, and they have not registered online. The city announced that most vulnerable applicants, including survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, homeless individuals, and newcomers who have been in Canada for less than 12 months, will not be restricted by the September 30 deadline. Furthermore, applicants will have the opportunity to re-enter the waiting list within 24 months of canceling their application.

Some people have questioned how the city communicates with those who are removed from the list. Mayor Olivia Chow tweeted on Thursday that she is aware of people's concerns and, in collaboration with the Planning and Housing Committee, is working on extending the waiting list deadline with a new draft of the text.