Olivia Chow pledges to start construction on 10,000 rental homes in 2027
Mayor Olivia Chow says she will begin construction on 10,000 new rental homes in 2027 if re-elected, building on 60 housing projects already under way.
Announcement. A campaign, a party or the City chose to say this. voche.me reports it as their claim. Read the original report on cp24.com.
Mayor Olivia Chow said on October 8 that she would have construction begin on 10,000 new rental homes in 2027 if she is re-elected on October 26. The announcement came as advance voting opened across Toronto on October 6.
Chow's campaign told CP24 that 60 housing projects are currently under construction in the city, and that those projects will deliver 16,000 rental homes when complete. These figures come from the campaign and have not been independently verified.
What the plan includes
The campaign says $1.5 billion in provincial and federal funding was secured in spring 2026 to cut development charges on new rental buildings by up to 60 per cent. The City has also put $1.2 billion from its own operating and capital budgets toward developer cost offsets, according to the campaign.
To qualify for those cost reductions, a project must begin construction within 12 months of approval, the campaign says.
Chow's stated goal is 65,000 homes by 2030, with at least 20 per cent designated as affordable units. The campaign has not published a breakdown showing how the 65,000 figure would be reached.
"For too many people, a home here is slipping out of reach," Chow said on October 8, according to CP24. "If you're a nurse, a teacher, a construction worker, a PSW, you should be able to afford to live here."
Ballot confusion
At the same event, Chow raised concern about another mayoral candidate with the same last name. Braeden Chow appears at position eight on the mayoral ballot; Olivia Chow is at position nine. She told CP24 that her campaign is worried non-English speakers may mark the wrong name. She said she almost picked the wrong name herself when testing an advance polling station.
Braeden Chow has said publicly he has no financial backing and no campaign funds.
With 18 days until voting day, Chow's campaign framed the ballot mix-up as a real risk in a close race. Voters can review all mayoral candidates at /on/toronto-2026/candidates#mayor before going to the polls. Advance voting continues through October 11.
Questions this story answers
What did Olivia Chow announce on October 8?
Mayor Olivia Chow announced a plan to have construction begin on 10,000 new rental homes in 2027 if she is re-elected on October 26. She also raised concern that voters may confuse her name with another mayoral candidate, Braeden Chow, who appears earlier on the ballot. Her campaign stated this confusion could cost her votes.
How many rental homes has Chow's administration built so far?
According to Chow's campaign, as reported by CP24 on October 8, 60 housing projects are currently under construction in Toronto. The campaign says those projects will deliver 16,000 rental homes when complete. These figures are from the campaign and have not been independently audited.
What funding backs Chow's housing plan?
Chow's campaign says $1.5 billion in provincial and federal funding was secured in spring 2026 to reduce development charges on new rental buildings by up to 60 per cent. The City has also set aside $1.2 billion from its own operating and capital budgets for developer cost offsets, according to the campaign.
What is the condition developers must meet to qualify for the cost reductions?
According to CP24's report on October 8, projects must begin construction within 12 months to qualify for the cost reductions Chow's campaign has put in place. This requirement applies to projects seeking relief from development charges.
What is Chow's overall housing target?
Chow's campaign has set a target of 65,000 homes by 2030, with a minimum of 20 per cent of those units designated as affordable. These are figures the campaign has stated; the campaign has not published a full breakdown of how the target would be reached.
Who is Braeden Chow and why is Olivia Chow raising concern about him?
Braeden Chow is another candidate running for Toronto mayor in the October 26 election. He appears at position eight on the ballot, just before Olivia Chow at position nine. Olivia Chow's campaign raised concern that voters, particularly non-English speakers, may mark the wrong name by mistake. Braeden Chow has said he has no backing and no money.
Where can I check the Toronto mayoral ballot before voting?
You can read profiles of all Toronto mayoral candidates at /on/toronto-2026/candidates#mayor. Advance voting runs from October 6 to 11, and voting day is October 26. The City of Toronto's website has the full list of polling locations.
When is voting day for the Toronto election?
Voting day is October 26, 2026. Advance voting runs October 6 to 11. You can find your polling location through the City of Toronto's website. Candidate profiles for the mayor's race are at /on/toronto-2026/candidates#mayor.
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