‘CommunityStreets’ is a panel discussion/open forum on the critical topic of housing and youth. This panel brings together civic leaders, community activists, and design and economic thinkers at OCAD University to explore a youth lens on affordability, access, equity and the future of housing in urban Toronto.

As affordable home ownership and other forms of accommodation including rental and temporary shelter remain foremost on the minds of our city builders and administrators, youth want a say in what, where and how housing will be developed along with effective responses to the allied social, economic, health, food security and political challenges they face in the present. Let’s listen to learn, and collectively imagine the future of housing with the next generation of city dwellers.

Panel discussion and open forum dovetails with recent Royal LePage survey and other reports that found Youth want home ownership, but are deeply worried about its attainability in  the province of Ontario, and particularly in major urban centres such as Toronto. With Toronto among other North American cities topping the global list of “impossibly unaffordable” cities to live, all city leaders and builders are on board activating development plans for more housing stock, densification, and gentrification. Youth want more places at the planning table to be heard and valued.

Part of granted research to explore the subject in more depth over the coming year, design researchers and Associate Professors Cheryl Giraudy and Saskia van Kampen are hosting this event as a launch to their upcoming research project with Toronto youth communities. This new event, echos a prior public forum held as part of the 2019 DesignTO Festival to discuss placemaking in Toronto, which welcomed many attendees.

Venue opens at 3:30pm. RSVP optional. Audio, video and photography along with note-taking will occur. Light refreshments.