As Barack Obama prepares to take his inauguration oath as President of the United States, it’s worth recalling the climatic words from the acceptance speech of Franklin Roosevelt as Democratic presidential candidate in 1932 (he would go on to be the most dynamic US president of the 20th century and, with Lyndon Johnston and a […]
A Housing Year In Review And A Walk Through The Numbers
As 2011 draws to a close, and 2012 beckons, a healthy and affordable home remains out of reach for millions of Canadians. Housing is about people – their lives, households, communities and health – and the year-end numbers tell a compelling story about housing in Canada in 2011. Housing costs outpace household incomes While the […]
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A housing policy win – more homes on the way!
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced onTuesday that the provincial government is going to start the flow of $392.5 million in federal funding to build new affordable homes in Ontario. Sounds pretty simple – all the province is required to do is get out of the way and let the federal money flow to housing developers […]
Continue ReadingA housing policy win – more homes on the way!
A Canadian first: International right to housing in Ontario
All eyes will be on the Ontario Human Rights Commission on Tuesday morning as it releases the first-ever (for Canada) official report on the human right to adequate housing. Human rights function as both a moral ideal and as a “deeply pragmatic political tool” at both the international and national levels, to paraphrase Professor Conor […]
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500 homeless dead – and counting!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006, marked a grim anniversary. The Homeless Memorial at the Church of the Holy Trinity in downtown Toronto added its 500th name at the regular monthly service yesterday. That’s 500 women, men and children – our mothers, our fathers, our sisters, our brothers, our sons, our daughters – who have died on […]
25 in 5 poverty reduction campaign
A group of prominent Ontarians, backed by a network of community organizations (including the Wellesley Institute) has launched the “25-in-5” poverty reduction campaign at the start of Ontario’s provincial election. The goal of this non-partisan campaign is to get all political parties contesting Ontario’s provincial election to make two commitments: First, to adopt a target […]
2007 – year of housing for all?????
It’s a new year, and Canada has a new federal housing and homelessness minister. What would be the best new year’s resolution for the Hon. Monte Solberg, as he settles into his new office? In recent years, growing homelessness and housing insecurity, along with effective political advocacy, has prompted politicians to create a patchwork of […]
14 Cents Per Day Won’t Build Many New Homes: Wellesley Institute Ontario Provincial Pre-Budget Backgrounder (March 2007)
Ontario’s spending on affordable housing has been flatlined for several years , one reason why the provincial government has fallen far short of the targets that it has set for new affordable homes. The Wellesley Institute’s Ontario pre-budget backgrounder provides some advance information as Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara prepares to deliver the provincial budget on […]
Continue Reading14 Cents Per Day Won’t Build Many New Homes: Wellesley Institute Ontario Provincial Pre-Budget Backgrounder (March 2007) Download Publication14 Cents Per Day Won’t Build Many New Homes: Wellesley Institute Ontario Provincial Pre-Budget Backgrounder (March 2007)
‘Cutting through the fog’ aims to make sense of poverty measures
“If we don’t make sense of poverty measures, we will limit our ability as a society to make good decisions about poverty and related issues.” That’s the conclusion of a powerful new paper from the Metcalfe Foundation called Cutting through the fog. The paper, written by social policy analyst John Stapleton and research consultant Richard Shillington, […]
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‘Big Society Bank’, more co-ops and public service: UK govt sets out new policies for social sector
Britain’s new coalition government has announced plans to create a ‘Big Society Bank’ using funds from dormant bank accounts to help finance neighbourhood groups, charities, social enterprises and other non-governmental groups. Building The Big Society – a new policy document released on Tuesday from the Conservative – Liberal Democrat government – sets out five key […]