Bill C-304, An Act to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing for Canadians, just passed second reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon and is going to committee for review and possible amendment. This is exciting news – and credit both to MP Libby Davies, who sponsored the legislation, and the many […]
Archives for September 2009
Big news: Ontario inclusionary housing legislation passes second reading
Inclusionary housing (and the promise of thousands of new affordable homes in new developments across the province) is one step closer in Ontario as MPP Cheri DiNovo’s Bill 198 passed second reading in the Ontario Legislature this afternoon. The legislation would amend the Planning Act to give municipalities the power to require developers to include […]
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Pandemic flu planning and social vulnerabilities
Pandemic flu planning efforts need to take into account the realities of individuals’ lives and the social contexts in which they live if they are to succeed, cites Anna C. Mastroianni, in the article “Slipping through the Net: Social Vulnerability in Pandemic Planning “, from the Hastings Center. In this article, she talks about the […]
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$125 billion for banks; $2 billion for affordable housing
Sixty-two and one-half years – that’s how long the federal government will have to spend on affordable housing, at the current rate, to equal the $125 billion “emergency” bailout package for banks and other mortgage lenders that federal finance minister James Flaherty has just extended. The profits of Canadian banks have slipped slightly from the […]
Continue Reading$125 billion for banks; $2 billion for affordable housing
Every Door is the Right Door: Mental Health Disparities in Ontario
Mental health outcomes are distributed unequally in different populations in Ontario: low-income women are three times as likely as higher income women to report their mental health as poor or fair low-income men are five times as likely as higher income men to report their mental health as poor or fair
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News flash: Three of four parties in Canada's Parliament back national housing plan
Three of Canada’s four political parties in Parliament – a very solid majority – have backed draft legislation to create a long-overdue and much-needed national housing plan. MP Libby Davies (NDP) has introduced Bill C-304, a private member’s bill that would incorporate Canada’s international housing rights obligations into Canadian law. Members of Parliament from the […]
Continue ReadingNews flash: Three of four parties in Canada's Parliament back national housing plan
Right to the city: what can we learn from Chile’s social housing approach?
Chile’s “social housing” approach since the late 1970s allowed hundreds of thousands of poor families to become home owners, and strengthened construction activity in the national economy. However, the low-cost and low-quality housing that was produced has increased socio-spatial discrimination,
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WI hosts APA pre-conference
The Wellesley Institute hosted the 117th American Psychological Association pre-conference workshop on August 5th. The day was action-packed, informative and fun, combining historical tours of Black Creek/Jane-Finch and St James Town communities with presentations
“Now is the Season for Action”: Some Thoughts on President Obama’s Speech to the Joint Session of Congress
I have several thoughts regarding President Obama’s speech to the joint session of Congress: (1) As John King stated on CNN afterwards, “the man can certainly give a speech.” Obama’s delivery and presentation were outstanding throughout his 45 minute presentation. Obama was clear, articulate, compassionate when he needed to be and appropriately defiant when confronting […]
Acting On Health Inequality in Other Countries: Ireland
I recently had a week wandering around Ireland (perhaps not relevant beyond the blogosphere), including exploring local bookshops (getting more familiar to followers of research sites and think tanks), and found Sarah Burke’s recent Irish Apartheid: Healthcare Inequality in Ireland (Dublin: New Island, 2009). She analyzes four main points:
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