The Ontario government has moved quickly to introduce draft legislation to replace the Social Housing Reform Act yesterday, tabling Bill 140 in the Legislature on the same day that it announced its proposed new provincial affordable housing plan. The new legislation weighs in at more than 90 pages, so it will take some time to work […]
Scaffolding up, but lots of work still needed before Ontario finishes building its housing plan
The Ontario government has put up the scaffolding for a long-term affordable housing strategy, but there’s plenty of unfinished business for Queen’s Park as it seeks to build a truly comprehensive plan to ensure everyone has access to a healthy, affordable home. There are no targets, timelines and no new housing investments. After six months […]
Home ownership slightly more affordable, but not affordable enough: RBC Economics
Home ownership is slightly more affordable, according to the latest home ownership affordability survey released by RBC Economics this morning, but ownership is still not very affordable for tenant households. For instance, RBC Economics reports that a Canadian homeowner would have to pay 39% of their average weekly earnings for a typical bungalow – a drop […]
Continue ReadingHome ownership slightly more affordable, but not affordable enough: RBC Economics
Minister of Housing needs to deliver provincial housing plan: Housing Network of Ontario
Housing and homeless advocates across Ontario have begun counting down the final days of fall, eagerly awaiting the promised release of Ontario’s first long-term affordable housing strategy. “We are holding the Minister of Housing to his promise that low-income Ontarians can expect a plan before the cold days of winter, after the government missed their […]
National housing plan legislation passes another vote in Commons: One step closer to passage
With a vote of 141 (yea) and 132 (nay), draft legislation to create a national housing plan for Canada moved another step forward in the Commons last night. The national housing plan bill won the support of NDP, Liberal and Bloc MPs at yesterday’s vote, but was opposed by the federal housing minister, Diane Finley, and […]
More than three million Canadians forced to live in poverty: 2010 child and family poverty report card
About one-in-ten Canadians – more than three million people – are living in poverty, and that is having a devastating impact on their health. Those are some of the findings of the 2010 report card on child and family poverty in Canada, released earlier today. Deep and persistent poverty is one factor that is driving […]
Ontario Child and Family Poverty 2010 report card: Poverty reduction key to economic recovery
About 412,000 children and youth in Ontario were living in poverty in 2008 – even before the recession hit. The child poverty rate in 2008 (the latest year for which official statistics are available) was up from 2007. In 2010, more than 149,000 Ontario children were forced to rely on foodbanks – up from 141,000 […]
All eyes on Parliament as MPs vote on C-304 (national housing plan) Wednesday
All eyes are on Parliament on Wednesday as Members of Parliament vote on C-304, a private member’s bill from MP Libby Davies that would require the federal government to consult widely and create a national affordable housing plan within six months. This is the closest Canada has come to a truly comprehensive national affordable housing […]
Continue ReadingAll eyes on Parliament as MPs vote on C-304 (national housing plan) Wednesday
Federal government needs to take action on poverty, housing: New all-party Commons report
“The federal government has an important role to play in reducing poverty in Canada,” according to the Commons HUMA committee in an important new report Federal Poverty Reduction Plan: Working in Partnership Towards Reducing Poverty in Canada. The HUMA (Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities) […]
Hidden emergency: Poor housing leading to poor health for many Canadians
Precarious housing is a ‘hidden emergency’ that is affecting the health of a large number of Canadians, and the population health of the entire nation, according to a powerful new research report from the Health and Housing in Transition Study (HHiT). “The number of people experiencing the devastating health outcomes associated with inadequate housing could be staggering […]
Continue ReadingHidden emergency: Poor housing leading to poor health for many Canadians