The Ontario government has moved quickly to introduce draft legislation to replace the Social Housing Reform Act yesterday, tabling Bill 140 in the Legislature on the same day that it announced its proposed new provincial affordable housing plan. The new legislation weighs in at more than 90 pages, so it will take some time to work […]
Archives for November 2010
CHC's provide innovative programs to drive health equity
Last night, a couple of us from Wellesley went to a celebration of Ontario’s Community Health Centres (CHCs). The event featured displays from some of the 73 CHCs across Ontario and a video that highlighted the CHCs’ innovative practices and work to reach diverse populations in Ontario. Some of these practices include mobile units that […]
Continue ReadingCHC's provide innovative programs to drive health equity
Scaffolding up, but lots of work still needed before Ontario finishes building its housing plan
The Ontario government has put up the scaffolding for a long-term affordable housing strategy, but there’s plenty of unfinished business for Queen’s Park as it seeks to build a truly comprehensive plan to ensure everyone has access to a healthy, affordable home. There are no targets, timelines and no new housing investments. After six months […]
Housing Checklist – How does Ontario's LTAHS measure up?
As the provincial government releases their plan for affordable housing, we thought it might be helpful to share a checklist to track whether or not the Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy measures up.
Continue ReadingHousing Checklist – How does Ontario's LTAHS measure up?
Home ownership slightly more affordable, but not affordable enough: RBC Economics
Home ownership is slightly more affordable, according to the latest home ownership affordability survey released by RBC Economics this morning, but ownership is still not very affordable for tenant households. For instance, RBC Economics reports that a Canadian homeowner would have to pay 39% of their average weekly earnings for a typical bungalow – a drop […]
Continue ReadingHome ownership slightly more affordable, but not affordable enough: RBC Economics
Minister of Housing needs to deliver provincial housing plan: Housing Network of Ontario
Housing and homeless advocates across Ontario have begun counting down the final days of fall, eagerly awaiting the promised release of Ontario’s first long-term affordable housing strategy. “We are holding the Minister of Housing to his promise that low-income Ontarians can expect a plan before the cold days of winter, after the government missed their […]
National housing plan legislation passes another vote in Commons: One step closer to passage
With a vote of 141 (yea) and 132 (nay), draft legislation to create a national housing plan for Canada moved another step forward in the Commons last night. The national housing plan bill won the support of NDP, Liberal and Bloc MPs at yesterday’s vote, but was opposed by the federal housing minister, Diane Finley, and […]
More than three million Canadians forced to live in poverty: 2010 child and family poverty report card
About one-in-ten Canadians – more than three million people – are living in poverty, and that is having a devastating impact on their health. Those are some of the findings of the 2010 report card on child and family poverty in Canada, released earlier today. Deep and persistent poverty is one factor that is driving […]
Ontario Child and Family Poverty 2010 report card: Poverty reduction key to economic recovery
About 412,000 children and youth in Ontario were living in poverty in 2008 – even before the recession hit. The child poverty rate in 2008 (the latest year for which official statistics are available) was up from 2007. In 2010, more than 149,000 Ontario children were forced to rely on foodbanks – up from 141,000 […]
Research With Policy Impact: CIHR Panel
Wellesley has done many workshops over the years on how to maximize the policy impact of research. This was always an important theme of our community-based research capacity building workshops and we have customized many workshops for particular audiences. I was on a panel for the CIHR Centre for REACH on HIV/AIDS and highlighted seven key messages […]