By: The Housing Network of Ontario released a powerful and comprehensive report on the community consultations for a Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy in Ontario. This report consolidates recommendations made by many hundreds of Ontarians who participated in almost 40 community meetings and consultations focussed on developing an affordable housing strategy, held from June to November 2009. The meetings included government-led consultations, convened by Minister Jim Watson and/or MPPs from ridings across the province. Meetings also included community-led forums with MPPs invited to participate, and public town hall meetings.
The main messages that emerged from these consultations included:
- Ontarians need a comprehensive, fully-funded long-term affordable housing strategy with bold targets.
- Housing insecurity, homelessness and poverty are inseparably linked.
- People with lived experience of housing insecurity and housing related poverty should be at the centre of any housing strategy.
