Many factors contribute to keeping Canadians healthy. Just as crucial as access to healthcare, social supports and good working conditions, is housing. Currently, we are facing a housing crisis due to lack of affordability, disrepair, crowding, short supply, and the list goes on. If Canada is going to solve the housing problem, we need to […]
Housing
Crowded housing and COVID-19: Impacts and solutions
The evidence in Toronto is clear: overcrowded housing is associated with increased COVID-19 infection rate. When people have insufficient space to socially distance or self-isolate if they are sick, it makes people more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. In the City of Toronto, overcrowded housing conditions have left 12 per cent of private households more vulnerable […]
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Building Health: Canada’s opportunity to improve housing affordability
Decent, safe, and affordable housing is an absolute foundation for healthy lives. Research has shown the critical links between housing and health. Without appropriate and secure housing, our health suffers, our mental health deteriorates, we are more stressed. Without affordable housing we may need to skip on food or medications in order to pay the […]
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Cutting tenant protections will harm our health
Recently, there has been talk of possible policy changes that could affect tenant protections in Ontario. These include shortening eviction timelines, allowing private bailiffs to enforce evictions, and perhaps removing Landlord Tenant Board hearings altogether for certain evictions. While up-to-date information on evictions – both formal and informal – are difficult to acquire, we know […]
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Investing in Innovative Housing Solutions Eleven Solutions Lab Proposals to Receive Funding Through the NHS Solutions Labs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 18, 2019 OTTAWA, ON — Finding solutions to housing challenges such as affordability, social inclusion, Northern and remote supports, Indigenous housing provision, and environmental sustainability is key to ensuring that more Canadians have access housing that meets their needs and that they can afford. Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of […]
Housing affordability improves health: Rent subsidies #1 choice in Wellesley’s Budget Builder
Last month, Wellesley Institute released our Healthy Budget Builder Toronto simulation. It allows users to create their own fully-funded City of Toronto budget, and make decisions over which city services to fund and how to pay for them. Since then over 800 people have used the website, and many chose to submit their balanced budgets. […]
Tight rental markets in the GTA and low incomes set people up for discrimination
By Nazeefah Laher and Anjana Aery In a competitive rental market, there are barriers that go beyond high housing costs and limited supply. People in racialized groups, with disabilities, or on social assistance are particularly vulnerable to discrimination. The Ontario Human Rights Code provides legal protection for people seeking housing, protecting people on 14 identified […]
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Submission on Proposed Inclusionary Zoning Regulations
Housing is an important factor in health and well-being. People with low incomes or other disadvantages face large problems of housing affordability and quality, which is bad for health. Inclusionary zoning is a tool that can help provide affordable options, reduce housing problems, and build mixed communities. This brief suggests some modifications to the proposed […]
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Canada’s National Housing Strategy – Implications for Ontario and the Toronto area
Across Canada, people are examining what the National Housing Strategy (NHS) will mean. Our last two blogs summarized what’s in the Strategy and considered its strengths and soft areas. This one considers its implications for Ontario and the Toronto area. Sustaining and modernizing social housing Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy (LTAHS, 2016) includes social housing […]
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Canada’s National Housing Strategy – The Strong, the Soft, and the Splashy
Our last blog summarized the content of the new National Housing Strategy, noting its many positives. This blog looks more closely at its strengths and soft spots, and how much difference it could make. Strategic turning point: The Strategy marks a turning point in Canadian housing policy, its significance akin to the shift to non-profit […]
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