Rethinking Gentrification and Eviction in Toronto: Are Homes Still Built for Living?

The significant increase in evictions has become one of the foremost manifestations of the housing crisis in gentrifying cities. However, the lack of collected data at both the provincial and federal levels has made it difficult to assess the distribution and conceptual nuances of this phenomenon in urban cities like Toronto. The current study explores the newer ways in which eviction is used in gentrifying cities and illustrates how any renter, not just the “urban poor,” can be precariously placed. For this purpose, eviction data drawn from the Social Justice Tribunals Ontario was used to explore how evictions were spaced throughout Toronto. The GTA was selected as the primary space for investigating evictions based on its status as one of Canada’s leading gentrifying cities. The results showed that even as rental prices continue to soar and overall evictions have decreased, other forms of eviction are rising, indicating that there are alternative ways in which eviction is now being used. Moreover, the distribution pattern of eviction changed such that those beyond low-income brackets are now also being precariously placed. The results indicate how neoliberal ideas of gentrification have fueled alternative ways to evict individuals, potentially affecting a broader range of people than in the past.The GTA was selected as the primary space for investigating evictions based on its status as one of Canada’s leading modernizing cities. The results showed that even as rental prices continue to soar and overall evictions have decreased, other forms of eviction are rising, indicating that there are alternative ways in which eviction is now being used. Moreover, the distribution pattern of eviction changed such that those beyond low-income brackets are now also being precariously placed. The results indicate how neoliberal ideas of modernization have fueled alternative ways to evict individuals, potentially affecting a broader range of people than in the past