Government-funded subsidies “massively favour” private homeowners over private renters, even though owner incomes are – on average – double those of renter households, according to a new research report from the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario and the Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations. Economist Frank Clayton added up direct spending and tax expenditures and found that Canada’s 8.7 million owner households received $15.8 billion in government subsidies in fiscal 2008, while 4.1 million renter households received $1.3 billion. That’s an average subsidy of $1,823 per owner, versus $308 for renters. The Wellesley Institute’s Precarious Housing in Canada 2010 report, which focuses on those experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness, also notes that federal housing investments are heavily skewed towards owners versus renters.