Affordable Rent Enabled Creative Success in Toronto, Now at Risk

Toronto has long been a haven for aspiring artists, thanks in part to affordable housing that fosters creativity. Anna Fitzpatrick, a writer and author of the novel Good Girl, credits her ability to write her first book to her rent-controlled apartment in Kensington Market. However, recent changes in housing policy under Ontario Premier Doug Ford are making it increasingly difficult for young artists to find similar opportunities.

Fitzpatrick began writing Good Girl in 2016, when she was 26 years old, while living in a two-bedroom apartment with a friend. At that time, she paid just $750 per month, including utilities. This affordability allowed her to focus on her passion for writing while balancing freelance work and part-time jobs. “With the flexibility and leftover time, I worked on my own passion projects,” she recalls. The vibrant artistic community around her provided essential networking opportunities, leading to her eventual book deal with indie publisher Flying Books.

The landscape has shifted dramatically since Fitzpatrick’s early days as a writer. In 2018, Ford’s government implemented changes to rent control laws, allowing landlords to increase rents on newly constructed buildings without restrictions. As a result, housing affordability in Toronto has plummeted. Currently, a two-bedroom apartment built after 2000 averages $3,413 per month, meaning even shared living arrangements require a pre-tax income of at least $60,000, according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

Fitzpatrick emphasizes the importance of affordable housing for artistic development. She notes that young people today are often forced to juggle multiple jobs, leaving little time for creative pursuits or community engagement. “Artists working in Toronto are now subsidizing the lifestyles of the wealthy,” she asserts. Many are priced out of neighborhoods that once thrived on their creativity, with long-time residents facing renovictions or demolitions as housing stock is redeveloped.

Reflecting on her experience, Fitzpatrick shares that her success was made possible by her unique circumstances, which allowed her to embrace the messy process of creativity. “I want art produced by people from all backgrounds, all points of view, and all styles,” she states. “I want those readers who think my novel sucked to have books by lots of different writers available to them.”

Today, Fitzpatrick works as the communications coordinator for a non-profit focused on housing equity in Toronto. While she now earns enough to cover her rent independently, she remains acutely aware of the challenges faced by emerging artists. “I don’t want to live in a world where the only people who can afford to work as artists are those supported by generational wealth,” she explains.

To help address these issues, Fitzpatrick has invested her royalty earnings from Good Girl into the Kensington Market Community Land Trust, a community-led initiative aimed at preserving affordable housing in the area. She hopes to create opportunities for the next generation of writers and artists in Toronto.

As the city grapples with rising rents and a shrinking supply of affordable housing, the stories of individuals like Fitzpatrick serve as a reminder of what is at stake. The future of Toronto’s artistic landscape depends on ensuring that creativity can flourish, unhindered by financial barriers.