Back in January, Toboggan Flats launched a project with a big question at its heart: Could Canada’s empty offices become affordable coliving homes for the community housing sector? With support from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), we set out to explore what we’ve long believed—that converting underused office buildings can createhousing that is faster, more affordable and more community-focused than traditional models.
To make it real, we built something new: Co-Convert Compass, an early feasibility tool designed to help community housing providers quickly spot which buildings might be a fit for coliving. Instead of lengthy and expensive assessments, providers can now get a head start in deciding where to invest their time, money and energy.
But a tool is only as strong as the people who use it. That’s why we partnered with five outstanding organizations—HOUSE Canada, New Commons Development, the YMCA of the National Capital Region, UWCRC2.0, and Youth Without Shelter. Each of them works with different communities, yet all share one reality: the need to build more affordable housing. Over six months, we listened, tested, adjusted, and learned.
We hosted roundtables and webinars, walked through buildings, and dug into pro formas and budgets. We also had frank conversations about what works, what doesn’t and how coliving could fit within the unique needs of the community housing sector.
The result? Encouraging. Each of our partners is now exploring ways to bring coliving projects forward. As Daneeka Abon of UWCRC2.0 put it, “We’re excited to see if there can be a homegrown version of this type of communal living.”
For us, that was the biggest outcome of all. This wasn’t just a demonstration project—it was a chance to spark real momentum. Along the way, we also shared our findings with groups like the Toronto Shelter Network’s Youth Shelter Interagency, helping put coliving on the radar of youth housing advocates.
The Co-Convert Compass will now be available, free of charge, to the community housing sector. Our hope is that it becomes a starting point for many more conversations—and many more conversions. We’re deeply grateful to CMHC for supporting this work, and to our partners who gave us their time, insight and honesty. Together, we’ve proven that office-to-coliving isn’t just an idea. It’s a path forward.
Warm regards,
The Toboggan Flats Team
*The Turning Empty Offices into Affordable Coliving project received funding from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the NHS Demonstrations Initiative. The views expressed are our own, and CMHC accepts no responsibility for them.
