{{Short description|Housing advocacy group}} '''More Neighbours Toronto''' is a Toronto-based housing advocacy organisation affiliated with the YIMBY ("Yes In My Backyard") movement. The organisation supports policies that would increase the supply of housing in Toronto.

== Organisation and activities == More Neighbours Toronto has over 200 active volunteers and drafts policy recommendations, such as city policy on garden suites.<ref>{{cite web |title=Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods - Garden Suites - Final Report |url=http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2022.PH30.2 |website=City of Toronto |access-date=23 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bailey |first1=Colleen |title=Submission on PH.30.2 - Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods - Garden Suites - Final Report |url=http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2022/ph/comm/communicationfile-143221.pdf |website=City of Toronto |access-date=23 May 2022}}</ref> The group also submits deputations to the city, including on matters such as "modular supportive housing development".<ref>{{cite web |title=Modular Supportive Housing Development at 175 Cummer Avenue |url=http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2022.PH31.13 |website=City of Toronto |access-date=24 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Parkinson |first1=Alena |title=Planning and Housing Committee - April 27, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2N1IvcpI90&t=1215s |publisher=City of Toronto |access-date=23 May 2022 |language=en}} </ref> Additionally, the group submits deputations to the provincial government.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bill 23, An Act to amend various statutes, to revoke various regulations and to enact the Supporting Growth and Housing in York and Durham Regions Act, 2022 |url=https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/heritage-infrastructure-cultural-policy/parliament-43/agendas/2022-nov-16-agenda-standing-committee-heritage-infrastructure-cultural-policy |website=Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy |publisher=Government of Ontario |access-date=16 November 2022}}</ref>

The organisation attends public consultation meetings in an effort to advocate for increased housing development in Toronto.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chong |first1=Joshua |title=In a city of NIMBYs, this community group has made it a mission to say ‘yes in my backyard’ |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/02/14/in-a-city-of-nimbys-this-community-group-has-made-it-a-mission-to-say-yes-in-my-backyard.html |access-date=2022-05-12 |work=Toronto Star |date=2022-02-14}}</ref> It is a registered third party advertiser in Toronto elections.<ref> {{cite web |title=List of Certified Candidates & Third Party Advertisers |url=https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/elections/candidate-list/ |website=City of Toronto |access-date=17 October 2022}}</ref> More Neighbours Toronto has endorsed candidates for city council, and was the target of attack ads.<ref> {{cite news |last1=Rider |first1=David |title=Meet the third-party advertisers who have spent money to sway Toronto voters this election |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/10/23/meet-the-third-party-advertisers-who-have-spent-money-to-sway-toronto-voters-this-election.html |access-date=23 October 2022 |work=Toronto Star |date=23 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref> {{cite web |last1=Adler |first1=Mike |title=Development pressures dominate Scarborough Southwest debate for council candidates |url=https://www.toronto.com/news/development-pressures-dominate-scarborough-southwest-debate-for-council-candidates/article_a75aca0b-4be2-5d55-8690-3a5ccefe2e0e.html |website=Toronto.com |publisher=Metroland Media Group |language=en}}</ref><ref> {{cite web |last1=Grimes |first1=Mark |title=Councillor, Etobicoke Lakeshore |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8JB8B8g91Nk}}</ref>

== Recognition == It was consulted by the Government of Ontario's 2021 Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lawrence |first1=Jake |title=Report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force |date=8 February 2022 |pages=13, 33 |url=https://files.ontario.ca/mmah-housing-affordability-task-force-report-en-2022-02-07-v2.pdf |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref> With the Toronto Region Board of Trade, More Neighbours hosted a public consultation on the task force report at the University of Toronto's School of Cities.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bechtold |first1=Liliana |title=Recap: Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force Q&A |url=https://www.schoolofcities.utoronto.ca/news/recap-ontario-housing-affordability-task-force-qa |website=UofT School of Cities |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Housing Task Force Q&A |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP6kDyJm50o |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref> Panelists were the task force chair, Jake Lawrence, Bank of Nova Scotia, Tim Hudak, CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association and Ene Underwood, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area.

It was part of the City of Toronto's & Canadian Urban Institute roundtable on Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods.<ref>{{cite news |title=Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) Roundtable |url=https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/9563-city-planning-ehon-final-recommendations-report.pdf |access-date=29 April 2023 |publisher=City of Toronto |date=March 2023}}</ref> It was cited in a C. D. Howe Institute report on housing.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dachis |first1=Benjamin |title=Buyers Beware: The Cost of Barriers to Building Housing in Canadian Cities |url=https://www.cdhowe.org/public-policy-research/buyers-beware-cost-barriers-building-housing-canadian-cities |access-date=5 May 2023 |publisher=C. D. Howe Institute |date=4 May 2023}}</ref>

It has been cited by ''The Globe and Mail'''s editorial board<ref>{{cite news |last1=The Editorial Board |title=Globe editorial: The Doug Ford government has a plan to lower housing prices – by growing up |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-the-doug-ford-government-has-a-plan-to-lower-housing-prices-by-growing/ |access-date=23 May 2022 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=10 February 2022 |language=en-CA}}</ref> and its representatives have published op-eds in the ''Globe''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Petkov |first1=Rocky |title=Opinion: Ontario has a chance to make housing more inclusive – we can’t let it slip away |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-ontario-has-a-chance-to-make-housing-more-inclusive-we-cant-let-it/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=25 February 2022 |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Petkov |first1=Rocky |title=Opinion: Toronto is on the verge of greatness – or stagnation |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-toronto-is-on-the-verge-of-greatness-or-stagnation/ |access-date=17 October 2022 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=16 October 2022 |language=en-CA}}</ref> It is regularly consulted by media across the political spectrum in segments on housing<ref> {{cite web |last1=Paikin |first1=Steve |title=Is Politics the Enemy of Housing? |url=https://www.tvo.org/video/is-politics-the-enemy-of-housing |website=The Agenda |publisher=TVO |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref><ref> {{cite news |last1=Teitel |first1=Emma |title=Opinion: Angry about the latest housing horror story? Save it for the politicians at election time |url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2022/04/22/angry-about-the-lastest-housing-horror-story-save-it-for-the-politicians-at-election-time.html |access-date=23 May 2022 |work=The Toronto Star |date=22 April 2022 |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref> {{cite news |last1=Balintec |first1=Vanessa | title=Toronto's turning some of its offices into housing. Advocates say it's a 'model' for other governments |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-s-turning-some-of-its-offices-into-housing-advocates-say-it-s-a-model-for-other-governments-1.6411667 | work=CBC News | access-date=23 May 2022}}</ref><ref> {{cite news |last1=Zivo |first1=Adam |title=Single-family zoning remains untouchable in Ontario |url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/adam-zivo-single-family-zoning-remains-untouchable-in-ontario-so-house-prices-will-keep-soaring |access-date=23 May 2022 |work=National Post |date=2 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref> including a segment where More Neighbours was cited to contrast with the Premier of Ontario.<ref>{{cite news |title=CTV Investigates |url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2445776&taid=6285c0cb2b64700001381101 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523001039/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2445776&taid=6285c0cb2b64700001381101 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 23, 2022 |access-date=23 May 2022 |work=CTV News |date=19 May 2022}}</ref>

The leader of the official opposition, Andrea Horwath stated, "Thanks More Neighbours, for your leadership and advocacy!"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Horvath |first1=Andrea |title=Twitter comment |url=https://twitter.com/AndreaHorwath/status/1522693460460904449 |access-date=23 May 2022}}</ref> More Neighbours has also collaborated with Greenpac and other civic groups to host debates in provincial & mayoral elections.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ontario Debates 2022, Scarborough Centre |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyCtxHMsN70&t=300s|publisher=Greenpac |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ontario Debates 2022, Scarborough Southwest |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUyu3GrLA4I?t=160s|publisher=Greenpac |access-date=24 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Toronto Mayoralty Housing Debate |url=https://housingdebate2023.rescon.com/ |website=RESCON |access-date=16 May 2023 |language=en-ca |date=24 May 2023}}</ref> More Neighbours has also been covered in Quebec.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lajoie |first1=Étienne |title=Les partis politiques ontariens devant la crise du logement |url=https://www.ledevoir.com/economie/711591/immobilier-les-partis-politiques-ontariens-devant-la-crise-du-logement |access-date=23 May 2022 |work=Le Devoir |date=16 May 2022 |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rattrapage du mercredi 1 juin 2022 |url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/dans-la-mosaique/episodes/631697/rattrapage-du-mercredi-1-juin-2022/10 |work=Dan La Mosaïque |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=1 June 2022 |language=fr}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.moreneighbours.ca}}

Category:Housing associations Category:YIMBY movement