Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC) provides housing for seniors, meaning people who are 59 years of age or older. The City of Toronto has approved this age requirement for all TSHC buildings under the Housing Services Act, 2011. This is called a seniors age mandate.
To preserve the seniors age mandate, TSHC only signs leases with individuals aged 59 or older.
If someone already lives in a TSHC unit, they cannot add a new leaseholder who is younger than 59 years old. Leaseholders can request TSHC to add their occupant(s) on the lease as a leaseholder(s) once they turn 59.
Leaseholders and Occupants
What is a leaseholder or lessee?
A leaseholder or lessee is a person who has signed a lease with TSHC. A leaseholder:
- Has the legal right to live in the unit.
- Is responsible for paying the rent.
- Must follow the rules in the lease.
What is an occupant?
An occupant is someone who lives in the unit but has not signed the lease. An occupant:
- Does not have a legal agreement with TSHC.
- Does not have the same legal rights or responsibilities as a leaseholder.
- Cannot stay in the unit if the leaseholder moves out.
If the household receives Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) assistance, the occupant’s income is included when calculating the household’s rent, following the City of Toronto’s RGI rules.
