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On: Oct. 17, 2011 Time for adult conversation about housing and homelessness indicators and measures

Canada is behind other countries in measuring the many dimensions of homelessness and precarious housing. This means it’s almost impossible to assess the scale of need, the appropriate resources that are required and to evaluate the impact of policy interventions. The Wellesley Institute commissioned housing policy expert Steve Pomeroy to start this critical conversation.

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Are we making any difference? Steve Pomeroy’s discussion brief on measures to assess housing outcomes.

“Are We making Any Difference?” by Steve Pomeroy, Oct 5 2011

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If you can’t count it, you can’t manage it; a policy backgrounder from the Wellesley Institute.

Housing Indicators Flip Sheet

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Part of the Wellesley Institute’s ongoing series on Precarious Housing in Canada

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On: Aug. 15, 2011 Sustainable, long-term federal housing investments required: WI 2012 pre-budget submission

A good home is vital to personal health and essential to improving the overall health of the entire population, as well as contributing to a strong and stable economy. Good housing is good for the economy, and it reduces government health and other spending. Despite all these benefits, federal housing investments have been eroding over the past two decades. The Wellesley Institute’s 2012 federal pre-budget submission calls for housing investments to be maintained at 2010 level of $3 billion. Read the rest of this entry »

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On: Aug. 4, 2011 Ontario Sets 2012 Rent Increase Guideline at 3.1% – More Than 4 Times Higher Than Last Year’s

The Ontario government has set the 2012 rent review guideline at 3.1% – more than four times higher than last year’s rent review guideline of 0.7% and the highest set by the Ontario government in a decade.  Private landlords are allowed to increase rents (with 90 days notice) up to the guideline limit once every 12 months.   Read the rest of this entry »

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On: Jul. 27, 2011 Gutting Toronto’s Affordable Housing Office undercuts ‘housing first’ approach to ending homelessness

While Toronto’s Core Services Review report recognizes the value to individuals and the City of Toronto in a housing-first approach to  homelessness, that same review undercuts the ability of the City of Toronto to implement a housing-first approach by potentially gutting affordable housing initiatives and perhaps even shutting down the entire Affordable Housing Office. Read the rest of this entry »

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On: Jul. 20, 2011 Housing first to end homelessness, but first Toronto needs homes

A good and healthy home, with proper supports, is better than a bed in a homeless shelter. That’s the main observation in the City of Toronto’s Core Service Review of homeless and support services by KPMG consultants. The Wellesley Institute fully supports a measured process that allows people to move from homelessness to home, and we recognize that Toronto’s Shelter, Support and Housing Administration has an important role in managing the process and also delivering key services and supports.

But the key message in our submission to the City of Toronto’s Community Development and Recreation Committee is that a “housing-first” approach to ending homelessness has to be combined with a commitment to ensure that there is adequate housing in place first.

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On: Jul. 4, 2011 Finally! Feds, provinces, territories announce new housing framework: Facts and figures

Three years after the federal government promised a five-year extension of key national housing investments, a new short-term housing framework agreement has been announced with the provinces and territories. There’s no new money in today’s announcement, and the new agreement mirrors the flawed 2001 federal / provincial / territorial affordable housing framework agreement. But the good news is that despite significant cost-cutting measures in many departments, the federal government intends to honour its 2008 housing promise. Read the rest of this entry »

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On: May. 30, 2011 The Wellesley Institute is moving – seven days to our bigger, better, brighter offices!

The Wellesley Institute is moving on June 6 to our bigger, better and brighter offices on Alcorn Avenue. The move isn’t entirely voluntary – we had to leave our Charles Street premises as the owner is set to “condominiumize” the building. Read the rest of this entry »

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On: May. 2, 2011 Toronto urgently needs city-wide plan for healthy, inclusive neighbourhoods

The Wellesley Institute’s Michael Shapcott warns in the lead letter in today’s Toronto Star that bad gentrification in Toronto has led to increased inequality, poor health, a loss of affordable and supportive housing and deeper divisions between rich and poor. He cites research reports from the Wellesley Institute and others on the costs of growing inequality. Mandatory inclusionary housing plans have been adopted by hundreds of US cities and offer a positive alternative. Toronto urgently needs a city-wide plan to ensure healthy inclusive neighbourhoods for all.

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On: Apr. 22, 2011 Labour market inequalities? Precarious housing? Health inequity? WI election newsletter sets out key issues

How will federal election candidates break down inequality in Canada’s colour-coded labour markets? How will federal election candidates ensure a healthy home for the 1.5 million Canadian households who are precariously housed? How will federal election candidates cut the big differences in health between poor people, Aboriginal people and other vulnerable communities and the rest of us? The Wellesley Institute’s latest newsletter is a special election edition with links to current and recent research and policy on key challenges that will face the next Parliamentary session. You can also download from ’newletter archives’ on the Wellesley Institute home page.

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On: Apr. 19, 2011 Libs, NDP, Bloc, Greens set out housing commitments for federal election 2011; Conservatives refuse to reply

The Conservatives refused to respond, but the other four major political parties in Canada’s 2011 federal election – the Liberals, the Bloc Quebecois, the New Democratic Party and the Green Party – all provided detailed answers to housing questions posed by the independent Red Tent Campaign. The Wellesley Institute’s Precarious Housing in Canada 2010 notes that more than 1.5 million Canadian households are forced to live in unhealthy and unaffordable homes. The political parties were asked three specific housing questions – and four of the five parties replied with detailed answers.

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