Current tenant representatives

Building and Community Representative terms of reference

In your role as a Community Representative at the building/townhouse level, you will:

• Work with tenants, staff and community partners/neighbourhood groups to identify tenant priorities and implement the community action plan developed by tenants.
• Work with local Community Representatives to hold quarterly building/community meetings and events that encourage and bring culturally diverse/mixed-income communities together.
• Represent tenants in your community and liaise with TCHC staff on local issues.
• Promote the availability of funds for the community (e.g., Participatory Budgeting, Tenant Action Funds, etc.).
• Share information from TCHC with tenants in your community (e.g., event posters, updates, opportunities) as well as information about local community programs and initiatives.
• Maintain an open and ongoing dialogue with all tenants in your local community, including other community leaders and fellow
• Building or Townhouse Committee Members or Community Representatives. This may include attending and participating in meetings and sharing decisions made by the building/ townhouse committees or Community Representatives at the local level.
• Help direct tenants to the appropriate source to address their concerns for example, the Client Care Centre, Superintendent, the regional General Manager or Assistant General Manager, etc.).
• Participate in mandatory accessibility training and an orientation session on applicable Toronto Community Housing policies.
• Participate in capacity-building training to enhance your leadership skills and support you as a Community Representative.
• Follow a Code of Conduct aligned with the principles and values of the Tenant Charter, including all requirements for accessibility under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and TCHC’s Human Rights, Harassment and Fair Access Policy.

Tenant Community Action Tables

As a Community Representative, you will:

• Work with your fellow Tenant Community Action Table members, Toronto Community Housing staff and key stakeholders to exchange ideas and identify solutions and strategies that address tenant priorities.
• Collaborate with fellow Tenant Community Action Table members to allocate resources for tenant priorities.
• Actively attend and participate at the Tenant Community Action Table every two months.
• Keep tenants in the community informed on neighbourhood priorities and on information shared by Toronto Community Housing staff or partners at Tenant Community Action Table meetings.
• Maintain an open and ongoing dialogue with all tenants in your local community, including other community leaders and fellow Building or Townhouse Committee Members or Community Representatives. This may include attending and participating in meetings and sharing decisions made by the building/townhouse committees or Community Representatives at the local level.
• Follow a Code of Conduct aligned with principles and values of the Tenant Charter, including all requirements for accessibility under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and TCHC’s Human Rights, Harassment and Fair Access Policy.
• Participate in mandatory accessibility training and an orientation session on applicable Toronto Community Housing policies.
• Participate in optional capacity building training to enhance your leadership skills and support you in fulfilling your roles.

Principles and Values

As a Community Representative, you must adhere to:

• The Toronto Community Housing Tenant Charter values of respect, community collaboration, accountability, integrity, accessibility, including all requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
• Toronto Community Housing’s Human Rights, Harassment and Fair Access Policy.
• The core principles and values of the Tenant Engagement System:
  • Respect: Mutual respect between all involved
  • Equity: Ensuring equitable treatment for all involved
  • Informative: Ensuring all involved have the capacity to make informed decisions
  • Inclusive: Inclusive and representative of all TCHC tenants
  • Collaborative: Working together as partners
  • Innovative: Continue to foster innovation and change

Community Action Plan (CAP)

How to get funding to address your communities priorities? First, you shared how you wanted to address your community priorities. Then we worked together on creating an action plan to respond to them. Now we want to work together to move it forward. Have an idea for a project or initiative? Need funding for your community priorities? Tenants may apply for Tenant Action Funds to address local priorities. Learn more by visiting the Tenant Action Funds page or contacting your local Community Services Coordinator (CSC).

Tenant Action Funds (TAF)

Tenant Action Funds are resources available to tenants and tenant groups to fund projects and initiatives that will respond to tenant-identified priorities.

Who approves Tenant Action Funds applications?

Members of the Tenant Action Fund Tables review and approve requests by tenants and tenant groups to fund projects and initiatives that will respond to tenant-identified priorities.

Who can apply for tenant actions funds?

All Toronto Community Housing tenants can request resources for projects and initiatives that will respond to tenant identified priorities. Members of the community can apply for the Tenant Action Funds. Action Fund Tables cannot submit funding requests for initiatives in their community, but members of their community can apply for the Tenant Action Funds.

Service Quality Indicators (SQI) survey

As a Community Representative, it is part of your role to fill out the Service Quality Indicator (SQI) survey. By doing so, you will be providing feedback on the quality of the service in your building under the following four pillars or categories:

1. Clean buildings
2. Well-maintained buildings
3. Tenancy management
4. Community safety and supports

The survey will be conducted on an annual basis.
For more information, read this Orientation and Resource document (PDF).