Recently, I spoke on health equity into policy action at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. This was the first of a series of policy conversations they are planning to have, and it was very interesting to talk to management and policy staff from across the Ministry. My main point was that, even though […]
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Wellesley update: Federal homeless funding never spent
More than $70 million in federal homeless funding was never spent, according to an internal study that was revealed in a Canadian Press story on Sunday (see full text below). This is more than double the $37 million in unspent federal homeless dollars that the then homeless minister, Diane Finlay, acknowledged in August of 2006. […]
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European Policy and Global Health
A recent report from the European Foundation Centre argued that European social and economic policy should take global health into account. It stressed the “internationalization of health risks and ever greater interdependence. Global health requires cooperation and coordination.” For example, European farm subsidies have an adverse impact on the economies and trade patterns of poor […]
Social Determinants of Health into Policy Action
The social determinants of health have been notoriously difficult to implement into concrete policy and programmes. Still, groups across the country are analysing and experimenting with how social determinants and health equity can be addressed on the ground through front-line service delivery and through community development. One such group is the Edmonton Social Planning Council. […]
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Broader Engagement in Local Planning Processes
Wellesley and many other community groups have been emphasizing that effective and meaningful community participation will be crucial to the success of the new LHINs and to the development of an innovative new provincial health strategy. One of the critical challenges will be ensuring that the full range of community voices and interests can be […]
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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 […]
France set to declare right to housing
France is set to declare housing as a fundamental right following a high-profile protest in downtown Paris by homeless people and housing advocates. The right to housinghas been recognized in international law for decades, and is incorporated in countless international covenents, treaties, declarations and other legal instruments. However, many countriessign the international documents then fail […]
Renter households face supply, affordability squeeze
Higher rents and fewer vacant units ” Canada’s nation-wide affordable housing squeeze is continuing to tighten for the country’s four million renter households. That’s the news today as Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released its latest rental market numbers. Detailed numbers will be released for provinces and metropolitan areas and are available from Canada Mortgage […]
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Commons' finance committee calls for housing, homelessness action
Earlierthis week, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance released its recommendations after pre-budget consultations across Canada. I was invited to appear in front of the committee earlier in the fall as an expert witness on housing and homelessness on behalf of the Wellesley Institute.
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Provincial Pre-Budget Submission on Housing and Homelessness
The costs of Ontario’s affordable housing crisis and homelessness disaster to individuals, communities and government are enormous, yet Ontario’s housing spending has been dropping sharply since 2000 and is currently at 14 cents per person per day. The Wellesley Institute, in our provincial pre-budget submission on housing and homelessness, is calling on the Ontario government […]
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