Today’s federal budget confirms the housing promises made last year (about $2 billion in new spending, mostly for new homes and repairs to existing housing), but adds nothing new (see page 236 of the main budget document).
Video: A home for everyone everywhere in Toronto
Inclusionary housing / inclusionary planning is a simple and practical tool already in use in hundreds of US cities. Watch a five-minute video on health, equity and housing on Toronto’s 2010 municipal election agenda by Wellesley Institute’s Michael Shapcott.
Continue ReadingVideo: A home for everyone everywhere in Toronto
Tell us your local housing / homelessness priorities and actions! Take our on-line survey
Help build a new national housing plan for Canada from the community up. The Wellesley Institute would like to to take 20 minutes or so to complete an on-line survey as a first step in joining an emerging national housing and homelessness network that is working towards a national housing strategy that would support Canada’s diverse […]
Housing, health, human rights forum webcast live Jan 21 and 22
Two of the four sessions of the two-day forum “Housing, Health and Human Rights: Exploring the connections in Canada and globally” will be webcast live on Jan 21 and 22. Watch them here. Keynote speaker for the forum is Miloon Kothari, former United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing. Other experts include Audrey […]
Continue ReadingHousing, health, human rights forum webcast live Jan 21 and 22
Respect housing / human rights, warns OMB as it strikes down restrictive Kitchener planning rules
Equity and human rights are critical components of land use planning, according to a precedent-setting decision by the Ontario Municipal Board in January of 2010 that struck down restrictive Kitchener by-laws. Municipalities are legally bound by the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Veteran MPP Jim Bradley named Ontario housing minister
Veteran MPP Jim Bradley, who has served in the Ontario Legislature for more than 30 years, has been named the new Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in an Ontario cabinet shuffle announced this afternoon.
Continue ReadingVeteran MPP Jim Bradley named Ontario housing minister
Outs and ins at Ontario's housing ministry: Watson out, Gerretsen in (for now)
Ontario housing minister Jim Watson resigned earlier today so that he can seek election at Mayor of Ottawa in the fall elections, and former housing minister John Gerretsen has been temporarily moved back into the Ontario government’s senior housing post.
Continue ReadingOuts and ins at Ontario's housing ministry: Watson out, Gerretsen in (for now)
UK bill sets out legal duty on gov’t to reduce inequalities
The British government wants to make reducing health and other inequalities between richer and poorer people a central consideration in the policy-making process. The first clause of the UK’s proposed new Equality Bill “sets out a new legal duty on key public bodies, including central government and local authorities, to ensure they consider the impact that their […]
Continue ReadingUK bill sets out legal duty on gov’t to reduce inequalities
National housing bill suspended – just like Parliament!
When Prime Minister Stephen Harper suspended Parliament for three months in late December, he also froze the progress towards creating a long overdue national housing plan for Canada.
Continue ReadingNational housing bill suspended – just like Parliament!
Canada’s non-profit sector: Big, growing, important
Canada’s non-profit sector has passed the vital $100 billion mark – measuring the overall contribution to GDP. The full non-profit sector (including hospitals and universities) amount to 7% of the overall economy.
Continue ReadingCanada’s non-profit sector: Big, growing, important