Hope for Millions of Canadians in Need of Affordable Housing

In the 2007 Throne Speech, the federal government promised to “invest in our families and our future, and help those seeking to break free from the cycles of homelessness and poverty.” In the recent 2008 federal budget, for some families and individuals these words remained empty promises as the government failed to renew housing spending and invest in adequate and affordable housing. Nevertheless, hope remains as provinces and territories are meeting with the federal government to address the housing needs of Canadians.

Today, the cycle of housing insecurity, homelessness and poverty continues to deepen as four million Canadians find themselves in need of affordable housing while many more will experience homelessness over the course of the year. Those who are particularly at risk of being disadvantaged by poverty, including children, recent immigrants and aboriginals, further face housing insecurity challenges. The alarming figures of housing needs are one in six for children, one in three for recent immigrants, and one in four for aboriginals.  

Behind each number is a low-income individual or family struggling to pay rent every month and often forced to choose between housing and food. These are not just statistics; these are individuals who have the right to live in dignity and to have access to basic needs such as decent housing.

The lack of affordable housing has a ripple effect that is detrimental to the health of individuals, the well-being of children, the vitality of growing economy and the sustainability of environment. Providing access to adequate and affordable housing is the first step in helping Canadians improve their quality of life, allowing them to participate in the economy and society and build healthy communities.

The reality of housing insecurity is seen in the resulting costs on health care, social services and the justice system. A recent revealing study estimated that homelessness costs Canadians between $4.5 and $6 billion annually (in health care, social services, and justice services), more than three times the amount the government is spending in housing programs. Clearly, we cannot afford not to invest in affordable housing.

Yet in the current federal budget, the government chose not to invest in affordable housing, despite the fact that all three national housing and homelessness programs are due to expire within the next twelve months. With no plans to renew the Affordable Housing Program, the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program or the Homelessness Partnership Initiative, we will continue to see a growing national housing crisis in our affluent country.

In view of this, the solution to housing insecurity should not be remedied by short-term crisis management or one-time expenditures. In order to address the core issues of housing affordability and homelessness, we need a long-term strategy with sustained funding and action plans with accountability and measurable targets and timelines. There is no quick fix to this problem, there are only meaningful long-term steps we can take to sustain affordable housing and ensure that all Canadians, regardless of income, can access adequate housing. (For more information, see CPJ’s position papers on housing and homelessness.

By acknowledging that housing is a shared responsibility, we know that no single level of government can undertake the challenges of the housing crisis. Indeed, each level of government has the responsibility to protect the rights of its citizens and promote the well-being of communities by investing in housing and providing the necessary funding and programs.

Hopeful signs of a shared commitment to housing were seen at the February provincial and territorial housing forum. Here, housing ministers reaffirmed the 2005 White Point Principles that define an effective federal, provincial and territorial partnership to meet the housing needs of Canadians. While recognizing that cooperation is needed to achieve successful housing outcomes, it is important to have strategic plans with accountability and sustained funding to ensure long-term solutions to affordable housing.

However, federal housing minister Monte Solberg was absent at this meeting. Now, provincial and territorial ministers are taking action and urging the federal government to address the country’s critical housing issues and commit funding to support millions of Canadians in need of affordable housing. The federal government should follow this action by demonstrating leadership and making housing a national priority in its budget and policies.

As this climate of housing insecurity reveals, the four million Canadians in need of affordable housing are individuals and families who are struggling to pay rent and are often one paycheck away from being homeless. This grim picture should not immobilize us from taking action, but should instead prompt us to work toward a just housing system that ensures all people have equal access to affordable housing.  Signs of hope are visible as all political parties are tackling housing issues and as we continue advocating the federal government to invest in housing. Truly, we cannot ignore the four million faces of those in need of housing across Canada.