Booming house prices cause “enormous pain” for those excluded from ownership markets, warns UK housing minister Grant Shapps. Speaking in a candid year-end interview, the minister states: “We believe that [property] should be primarily thought of as a place to be your home.”
Housing
Toronto Exec calls for TCHC task force as Drummond report calls for increased federal / Ontario housing support
Toronto City Council’s Executive Committee has rejected a request from its Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) Board of Directors to sell off 740 homes in 675 buildings, and is instead calling on Councillor Ana Bailao, chair of Council’s Affordable Housing Committee, to chair a special task force. The Wellesley Institute joined TCHC tenants and others […]
Federal Affordable Housing Investments: Critical To National Social And Economic Investment Plans
WI to 2012 federal pre-budget process: Housing investments are critical for social and economic health of Canada Federal housing investments are critical for the social and economic health of Canada, along with the individual and population health of Canadians. That’s the key message in the submission by the Wellesley Institute to the House of Commons […]
Continue ReadingFederal Affordable Housing Investments: Critical To National Social And Economic Investment Plans Download PublicationFederal Affordable Housing Investments: Pre-Budget 2012 Submission To House Of Commons Standing Committee On Finance
Toronto to provincial and federal governments: Time to close housing funding gap
The City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing have launched a new campaign designed to re-engage the federal and provincial governments in financial support of social housing. ‘Close the housing gap’ builds on the work of City Council’s special commission on TCHC housing chaired by Councillor Ana Bailao. The new initiative was launched on the eve […]
Continue ReadingToronto to provincial and federal governments: Time to close housing funding gap
Ontario Government: Improve SROI With Strategic Investments In Innovation, Housing And Health
The Wellesley Institute calls on the Ontario government to take a multi-sectoral 10-year approach to maximizing its social return on investment. In a 15-minute presentation to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs of the Ontario Legislature (see the official Committee transcript) on Monday, February 1, Rick Blickstead outlined three major recommendations for strategic investment. […]
Continue ReadingOntario Government: Improve SROI With Strategic Investments In Innovation, Housing And Health Download PublicationInvesting In Equity And Innovation: Ensuring A Healthy Future
Tracking the impact of cuts to housing and homelessness supports
Ontario recently eliminated the Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit (CSUMB). The CSUMB helped people receiving social assistance to pay for large or unexpected housing-related costs, supporting them to become and remain housed. As of January 1, 2013, the CSUMB ended and 50 percent of its funding was passed to municipalities as part of a consolidation […]
Continue ReadingTracking the impact of cuts to housing and homelessness supports
Counting down to the end of the Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit: there’s still time for Ontario to avoid a crisis
We’re now less than two weeks away from the Government of Ontario terminating the Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit (CSUMB) and an impending and avoidable housing and homelessness crisis. The CSUMB helps people receiving social assistance to pay for large or unexpected housing-related costs, supporting them to become and remain housed. As of January 1st, this […]
Great holiday news as Ontario steps up with transitional funding for housing and homelessness supports
The Ontario government announced today that it would provide transitional funding of $42 million in 2013-14 for municipalities to develop and implement their consolidated housing and homelessness plans, which will set out how each muncipality addresses their local housing needs. The Wellesley Institute and community groups from across the province have been calling on the government to […]
Ontario’s holiday gift to Toronto restores some of housing and homeless funding that was cut
Toronto will get a $12.3 million holiday gift from the province – partial repayment, for one year only, of $21 million in housing and homelessness funding cutsthat took effect on January 1st. The Ontario government rushed out its announcement of $42 million in transitional housing and homelessness funds to municipalities in the middle of the holiday season, just […]
Cut to housing benefits will affect the health of the homeless, women, children, and people with disabilities
In the 2012 Ontario budget, the government announced that it was eliminating the Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit (CSUMB). The CSUMB helps people receiving social assistance to pay for large or unexpected housing-related costs, supporting them to become and remain housed. As of January 1, 2013, the CSUMB will end and 50 percent of its […]