[Report] Aging in a Vertical City

Toronto’s population is rapidly aging, with adults aged 65 and older expected to represent one-fifth of the city’s population by 2041. A significant proportion of these older adults live in vertical communities - buildings that are at least 5 storeys tall. By 2041, the NORC Innovation Centre and School of Urban and Regional Planning at Toronto Metropolitan University estimate that approximately 42% of older adults will live in vertical communities.

By leveraging the large number of older adults living in vertical communities, the City of Toronto can expand place-based services to enable more older adults to age in place. However, this will require policy changes. In this report, we outline recommendations for the City of Toronto to consider as they develop their third Seniors’ Strategy, focusing on the unique opportunities of vertical communities:

1. Leverage natural densities to improve service delivery
2. Fund community-led programming to improve social connection
3. Reform urban planning and zoning to build an age-inclusive City
4. Build the foundation of affordability to enable aging in place

By collaborating with City divisions, agencies and the provincial government, the City of Toronto has the opportunity to implement these recommendations and make Toronto a world-leading community for aging in place.