University Family Housing

Frequently Asked Questions

Student Family Housing

Eligibility & Admissions

University of Toronto students actively registered and enrolled full-time each Fall and Winter term in an undergraduate or graduate degree program who: 

  • Are living full time with a spouse/common-law partner and/or 
  • Have custody of one or two children 

We may also consider postdoctoral fellows and postgraduate medical trainees with a family. However, the priority is student families in an undergraduate or graduate degree program.

Single students are not eligible. Student Family Housing is reserved for U of T students with families, i.e. partner and/or children, because there are many other residence options for single students, in addition to off-campus housing. 

Eligibility for Student Families

Click here to submit an online application. Please note that we have an extensive applicant list and cannot guarantee when we will be able to offer you an apartment.

To confirm your eligibility for University Family Housing, you will be required to provide the following at the time an apartment is conditionally offered to you: 

  • Proof of current registration in a full-time U of T undergraduate or graduate degree program. 
  • Proof of financial ability to pay rent in full and on time.  
  • Proof that your spouse/partner and/or child(ren) will live with you full time.  

Documenting Eligibility

30 and 35 Charles St W are two high-rise towers built in 1969 with 711 apartments housing 2000+ students and their families, located in the Bloor-Yorkville neighborhood in downtown Toronto.  

The Huron-Sussex community is a neighbourhood of historic century homes that have been converted into separate apartment units located on the west end of the St. George Campus. There are an extremely limited number of apartments available, most of which house new faculty members at U of T. A very small number of student families and long-term tenants also live in these apartments.  

Charles Street Community

For apartments at Charles Street, standard wait times are approximately 1.5 years. However, this duration can vary based on several factors, including:    

  • The apartment preferences you listed in your application, as well as those of other applicants  
  • Your preferred move-in date (please note, we cannot guarantee meeting your preference,  
  • The amount of notice you need to plan for your move  
  • Vacancy rates, the number of available apartments and their sizes  

We recommend not informing your current landlord of your intent to move until you have received an apartment offer and signed a lease with us.  

For apartments at Huron-Sussex, standard wait times are several years.

You may live at University Family Housing as long as you continue to meet all eligibility requirements, including academic status, family/marital status, financial status, and remain in compliance with the terms of your lease agreement.

 

International students are given priority due to the added challenges they face securing housing from abroad. For example, if an international student submits their application on March 1, they will receive two months of priority and will be considered as if they applied on January 1.  

Students with children are given priority for two-bedroom apartments.  

We will consider postdoctoral fellows and postgraduate medical trainees with families, depending on housing availability. However, priority will always go to student families in a full-time undergraduate or graduate degree program. 

If you’re considering taking a leave from your studies at U of T, please consult with the Admissions Office before pausing your studies, as taking a leave may affect your eligibility to remain in University Family Housing. Supporting documentation will be required when your leave is under review by UFH.  

Types of Leaves:  

  • Parental Leave: Residents may take up to one year of leave if they or their partner (living with them) has or adopts a child.  
  • Medical Leave: Residents may take up to one term of leave.  
  • Other Leaves: For other types of leaves, please contact the Admissions Office to discuss your situation.

Documenting Eligibility for Student Families

Faculty Housing

Eligibility & Admissions

You are eligible if you are applying from outside the Greater Toronto area, and you are a: 

  • Newly appointed faculty with a full time tenure stream appointment at the University of Toronto. 
  • Newly appointed faculty with a full time continuing status stream appointment in the teaching stream at the University of Toronto.   

You are not eligible if: 

  • You have a Contractually Limited Term Appointment (CLTA) 
  • You have a clinical and/or status only appointment 
  • You are a post-doctoral fellow 
  • You have a staff appointment 
  • You are a student 
  • You have previously stayed in New Faculty Housing either as the primary applicant or the spouse/partner of the primary applicant 

IMPORTANT: Housing offers are void if the nature of your appointment to the University does not meet the criteria of the New Faculty Housing program. We confirm all appointments with  the Office of the Vice Provost, Faculty and Academic Life. 

Due to the popularity of this program and the limited amount of housing, we compile an annual applicant list, which typically opens on December 1 for the following year.

How quickly applicants receive housing offers depends on several factors, including: 

  • position on application list  
  • date of application 
  • appointment date 
  • unit size requested 
  • availability of unit 
  • applicant’s preferred move-in date 

Once we receive your application, we will confirm your place on the application list. We do not carry over application list applicants from one year to the next. 

For more information, click here.

You are eligible to stay in Faculty Housing for up to four years from your year of first appointment. The lease year runs from August 1 to July 31. So, for example, if your appointment date is July 1, 2025, you are eligible to stay in housing until July 31, 2029.

Applicants from outside of the GTA get priority and first refusal to the available units. How quickly one is offered housing is dependent on the factors outlined in question 4.

Charles Street FAQs

Your Lease

Apartments are:

  • unfurnished;
  • equipped with a refrigerator and stove;
  • centrally heated.

Residents may pay to have an air conditioner installed in their unit. Heating and Ventilation at Charles Street.

Communal laundry facilities are available in each building and are pay per use. 

Each apartment has access to a personal balcony. 

Students who require accommodation for a disability should first register with the University of Toronto Accessibility Services to ensure they are connected with appropriate resources and supports.  

There are two apartments with accessible features at 30 and 35 Charles Street West. Applicants with housing accessibility needs are given priority for these apartments. For more information, please contact studentadmissions.ufh@utoronto.ca. The common areas also have some accessible features including, automatic door openers for the front entrance, public facing offices, and laundry rooms, and front-loading washer and dryer options.

While we make every reasonable effort to work with families to understand their housing options, we are mindful that every family circumstance is unique. It is each family’s role to assess the apartments we offer and determine whether they meet their needs before accepting an offer. 

Anyone who moved in after December 1, 2012, is on a non-smoking lease and is prohibited from smoking in their apartment or on their balcony, as are all family members and visitors. The Smoke Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking within 9 meters of any entrance or exit of a building, as well as in indoor common areas of apartment buildings including but not limited to, stairwells, hallways, parking garages, etc. The University of Toronto Smoke-Free policy further prohibits smoking in any public areas on Campus, which includes spaces such as the rooftop garden and playground. The term “Smoking” means inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, e-cigarette, vaporizer, bong, joint, or smoking tobacco, cannabis, or any drug in any form. Please report smoking concerns to security. You may also contact communications.ufh@utoronto.ca for additional support and smoking cessation resources.    

Your lease prohibits unauthorized occupants, subletting, or sharing your apartment with friends or family members not listed on the lease, regardless of whether money is paid for the housing arrangement.
Pets are welcome at University Family Housing. Residents are expected to comply with the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 349, Animals. For more information on responsible pet ownership at UFH, see our Pet Policy at Charles Street.

You are not permitted to install or use any additional appliances or change fixtures, including the washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, bidet and more. These overload the plumbing and electrical systems in the building and cause significant problems like power outages, flooding of dirty water into other apartments, scalding hot water in the bath or shower, can cause a lack of hot water, water pressure, and cause other damage. 

Appliances at Charles Street

Rent & Insurance

Rent is due on the 1st day of each month. We are not able to accommodate late payment schedules. The University does not subsidize this residence – the rent residents pay covers ongoing building maintenance and expenses, so rent must be paid promptly. There is no daily or weekly rate available.   

Residents who rely on government or university funding packages are expected to plan ahead to ensure they can pay rent on-time. Exceptions to rent payment schedules cannot be made to accommodate external funding disbursement timelines.

Once moved in, residents can pay using a Canadian debit card in the Residence Office, as well as through Pre-Authorized Debit. Additionally, payments can be made via personal cheque, bank draft, or money order. Please note that we do not accept cash or electronic transfers

Annually, rent increases in the building on September 1st. Rent increases are also applied to last months’ rent deposits. All residents are informed of annual rent increases three months in advance and will receive a bill for money owed toward their last months’ rent deposit, which reflects the difference between their previous rental rate and the annual rent increase.

No, but a resident’s (tenant’s) contents insurance package is mandatory.  

Under Ontario law, the University has no legal responsibility to cover repairs or replacement of your personal belongings. Resident’s insurance covers your personal property such as furniture, wardrobe, sports equipment, sound system, musical instruments, camera, computer, etc. It can provide you not only with protection against theft and fire, but against water damage from plumbing break-downs, which are a real threat in buildings of this age. 

Resident’s Insurance at Charles Street

Heat, electricity, and hot water are included in the rent. Parking, laundry, internet, cable and phone are not included. 
Contact the Residence Office to let them know and discuss your options. 

Everyday Living

According to the City of Toronto, “in a city as large and vibrant as Toronto, certain levels of noise are reasonable and to be expected.” For more information on what is considered reasonable noise and how noise concerns are addressed, please see our Noise Complaints page.
Charles Street has an on-site daycare facility, independently run by George Brown College with priority given to UFH residents. We also have many children’s programs and resources for families to take advantage of. 

The Tenants’ Association (TA) is run by a group of tenants elected by the student families to represent their interests with the University. The management team and the TA executive strive to work collaboratively. The elected executive members meet with UFH management on a monthly basis, during which they are provided with building updates and seek their input on tenant concerns, improvements and planning. The budget is presented to the TA each year in the planning stage. When residents are having difficulty resolving concerns directly with staff, they may seek assistance and advocacy from the Tenants’ Association. 

Our buildings have a number of spaces available for student families to use. Residents can book our recreation room on the 2nd floor of 35 Charles for parties and gatherings. Residents can use the meeting room on the 3rd floor of 30 Charles for quiet study space. In 35 Charles, we also have a lounge space that is open to all adult residents and supervised children from 8am until 11pm each day. Our outdoor areas include the rooftop garden on the 3rd floor of 30 Charles and the playground area on the south side of 35 Charles – both of these are non-bookable. All spaces are available to all residents, regardless of building of residence. 

 

On site 24/7 security. Security assists with locker requests, move-ins and move-outs, putting elevators on service. Security does regular patrols inside and outside the buildings and deals with noise complaints and other building incidents. 

 Apartment & Building Safety Features

Maintenance & Services

Resident work order requests are submitted to the Residence Office by way of the Online Maintenance Request System. If additional assistance is required, residents are encouraged to call, email, or visit the office in person, during regular office hours. Maintenance staff will be dispatched to address resident work orders, and will coordinate any follow-up repairs with contractors, as needed. In case of flooding, complete loss of heat or power, call the maintenance staff or Security immediately. 
Yes, Charles Street has a comprehensive pest control program available to all residents. In particular, Charles Street, like all high rise apartment buildings in Toronto, has cockroaches and is very serious and adamant about cleanliness and pest control, and will take immediate action towards any such issues. We ask residents who may be facing problems to contact the Residence Office to schedule treatment and receive information right away. 

Monthly paid parking  is available in the underground garage at 35 Charles St W for residents of both buildings. Parking is arranged through the Residence Office. 

Transfers & Moving Out

If your family is expanding with the addition of a new child, apartment transfers to a larger unit are possible if you have lived at 30 or 35 Charles for at least one year, and you have upheld the terms of your current lease agreement. We do not allow apartment transfers for reasons, including, but not limited to a change in apartment preference, or issues related to noise or community disturbances. All apartment transfers are subject to review and approval by the Admissions Office, and approval is not guaranteed.  Standard wait times for apartment transfers are approximately 1.5 years. 

Apartment Transfers

All residents are required to submit 60 days‘ Notice to Vacate by the last day of any month. The Notice to Vacate forms are available online and at the Residence Office. Notice to Vacate forms should be submitted to the Residence Office in person, through the slot outside the Residence Office, or via email.

Huron-Sussex FAQs

Your Lease

All apartments are unfurnished, and all come with heat, air conditioning and window coverings.  Most units have one washroom, some have two. Some units have non-functioning, ornamental (only) fireplaces that are original to the house. 

Flooring in the apartments range from wood to ceramic to linoleum to carpeted to laminated, or a combination thereof. 

In addition to refrigerators and stoves, many units also have dishwashers. Some units have ensuite laundry. For those that don’t have ensuite laundry, we have three 24-hour, faculty-only (keyed entry), communal laundry rooms located in the neighbourhood. The use of these is included in your housing charge. 

Many units come with front porches, balconies or decks.  Some have access to front and/or back yards 

The Smoke Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking within 9 meters of any entrance or exit of a building, as well as in indoor common areas of apartment buildings including but not limited to, stairwells, hallways, etc.

The University of Toronto Smoke-Free policy further prohibits smoking in any public areas on Campus, which includes public spaces in the Huron-Sussex neighbourhood managed by UFH.

The term “Smoking” means inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, e-cigarette, vaporizer, bong, joint, smoking tobacco, cannabis, or any drug in any form.

Tenants are further prohibited from smoking in their University Family Housing units as per their designated lease agreements:

Faculty Housing

As per the Faculty Housing Co-op By-law #2, under Article 5 – “Use and Behaviour”

5.10 No Smoking
The co-op is designated as a smoke-free environment. Smoking is prohibited in all individual units and the co-op’s common facilities, except as may be designated as a smoking area by the co-op. Members who fail to observe this article may be subject to eviction and liable for cleaning or other costs resulting from smoking in co-op units or common facilities.

Student Family Housing and Long-Term Tenants

Anyone who moved in after December 1, 2012, is on a non-smoking lease and is prohibited from smoking in their apartment or on their balcony, as are all family members and visitors.

Subletting, for any reason (friend, colleague, student, family member, Air BnB, VRBO etc.), is prohibited.   

All units are walk-ups. With the exception of our single family homes, each unit is located in a house that has been subdivided into two or three self-contained apartments. Units will share a common front entrance, vestibule and hallway access. One bedroom units take up one floor, larger units can take up to two floors. No two apartments are exactly alike.  

Due to the age of the houses, many of the internal staircases and doorways are narrow; thus moving large pieces of furniture or box springs up the stairs and around corners can be difficult. 

For Faculty Housing: You are eligible to stay in Faculty Housing for up to four years from your year of first appointment.  The lease year runs from August 1 to July 31. So, for example, if your appointment date is July 1, 2024, you are eligible to stay in housing until July 31, 2028. Extension requests for stays beyond the four year eligibility period, will not be granted.  

For Student Families: As long as you are actively enrolled and registered in a full-time program, have your family living with you, and are paying your rent promptly, you can remain in your apartment. 

Housing Charge & Insurance

All payments must be in CANADIAN FUNDS. 

Housing charges are due on the first of every month and can be submitted by personal cheque, money order, bank draft, cashier’s or certified cheque, or by pre-authorized debit. 

Payment Policy at Huron-Sussex

For Faculty Housing: Rents are subject to annual increases. Notice is sent 3 months before the increase. 

For Student Families: Rent at the Huron-Sussex Student Family Housing is likewise subject to an annual rent increase once every 12 months. Residents will be notified three months in advance of the increase date with the details of the amount. 

The University does not carry content insurance for your personal property and we strongly recommend that you make arrangements for this.  The following web sites regarding insurance may be helpful: The Canadian Association of University Teachers’ Affinity Programs and University of Toronto Alumni Affinity Services. 

Residents will be held responsible for damages to the unit. 

Your housing charge includes all utilities, (e.g., heat, air conditioning, water and electricity) and the use of the faculty only, communal laundry rooms, or, ensuite laundry (if applicable) 

Your housing charge does not include parking, telephone, cable, internet, housekeeping services, or contents insurance 

For Student families living in Huron-Sussex that are struggling financially should contact their Registrar to apply for various funding options and should notify the Student Family Housing Admissions Office if they will be late paying rent. Check this link for further information: https://future.utoronto.ca/finances/financial-aid/

Everyday Living at UFH

Although Huron-Sussex is a neighbourhood of houses, it is located in a busy, densely populated area of downtown Toronto and can therefore be quite noisy with traffic and construction sounds. 

Noise can sometimes travel from one suite to another. The sub-floors are not solid concrete as is common in high-rise apartment complexes.  We ask residents to please keep excessive noise and activity (eg. stereos, running, jumping and other forms of “horseplay”) to a minimum. 

Pets, in modest numbers, are welcome.  Please remain vigilant that these “family members” do not disturb/harm other tenants or damage property.  For dogs, a leash policy is in effect and all dogs will be appropriately tethered and attended to, while in co-op common areas; e.g. hallways, laundry rooms, vestibules, shared backyards.  For cats, be mindful that our neighbourhood can be busy traffic-wise.  Urban wildlife such as raccoons, and rodents are present, as well as, from time to time, the occasional hungry coyote. 

The Family Care Office provides information about childcare options near campus: https://familycare.utoronto.ca/childcare/child-care-services/ 

The Early Learning Centre is the UofT daycare near Huron-Sussex housing. 

Faculty will join a Co-operative Housing community by living in the Huron-Sussex Community. Co-operative membership is free and should not generate any onerous obligations on the part of the Member. Members are also invited to attend the Co-operative’s Annual General Meeting which is held early in the new year. This is a combined Co-op Board of Directors and Annual General Membership meeting and provides members with an opportunity to bring their comments or concerns to the attention of the Board.   

Maintenance & Services

Canlight Hall Corporation (formerly Samuel Property Management) is appointed by the University of Toronto to provide property management services to our residential properties. 

They maintain an on-site office at 375 Huron Street that is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday. You can reach the office by: 

Yes, our neighbourhood is in a heavily populated and mixed-use neighbourhood, and can, from time to time, be subjected to infiltration by unwelcome guests. These include rats, mice, squirrels, raccoons, possums, pigeons and insects. 

Our Property Management Team and the Faculty Housing Office remain vigilant in their efforts to control and eradicate, whenever possible, pests in our residences. If you should experience or suspect unwanted visitors to your unit, whether inside or out, please let us know at your earliest convenience. If you suspect an infestation of insects, please provide a description, and, if possible, an insect sample as this would be of great help to our Property Management Team in determining the best course of action. 

Subject to availability, reserved, uncovered surface parking can be charged on a monthly basis. The parking spots are assigned on a first-come-first-served basis and may not necessarily be located directly behind your unit, although we try to provide a parking space as close to your apartment as possible. 

Parking at Huron-Sussex

Units will share a common front entrance, vestibule and hallway access and many units come with front porches, balconies or decks.  Some have access to front and/or back yards.  

There is a community garden run by residents from Huron-Sussex and nearby neighbourhoods. The garden is supported by a small annual membership fee, donations, and the University of Toronto. Our purpose is to build community and to promote urban agriculture. 

 

All apartments are equipped with an alarm system. You may choose to have the alarm system monitored by a security company, which you can then arrange yourself. 

Safety & Security at Huron-Sussex

All of our houses have thermostats that are set and monitored by our Property Management staff and according to City of Toronto seasonal standards. In addition, each unit is equipped with its own means of heating (radiator, baseboard or floor/wall vent) and air conditioning (central, ductless and/or, on occasion- a window mounted unit) 

Appliances at Huron-Sussex

You are not permitted to install or use any additional appliances or change fixtures, including the washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, bidet and more. 

 

Transfers & Moving Out

Transfer requests from one unit to another in Huron-Sussex will not be considered for Faculty Housing or Student Family Housing members. 

Student Family Housing members that are living in Huron-Sussex can apply to transfer to the Charles Street community, but not between Huron-Sussex units. 

If New Faculty leave before July 31, you are to provide 90 days’ notice or payment in lieu. Please confirm the date and approximate time of your departure with the Property Management Office, 416-408-1019 or facultyunits.repair.realestate@utoronto.ca. You can also arrange a time to return your keys. 

All Student Family Housing residents at 30/35 Charles Street West and in the Huron-Sussex units are required to submit 60 days Notice to Vacate by the last day of any month. Example: If you would like to vacate May 31st, your Notice to Vacate (signed by all lease holders) must be submitted to the Residence Office by March 31st. 

Information Listed for the Charles Street community applies to student families living in Huron-Sussex

Moving Out of Charles Street