By Caroline Cox
November 22 marks the 21st National Housing Day in Canada. It began in 2000 as part of a movement that urged the federal government to develop a national housing strategy.
This became a reality in 2017 under the Liberal government, who pledged to invest over $70 billion over 10 years to construct 125,000 new affordable housing units and repair 300,000 more.
Further investments were made during the COVID-19 pandemic under the Rapid Housing Initiative, which funds projects that can get people out of homelessness quickly through repurposing existing buildings, or using innovative building techniques. This initiative is on track to create nearly 10,000 new units of affordable housing across the country.
The National Housing Strategy is not perfect. Some advocates say it has rolled out too slowly, lacks clear targets, and defines affordability in ways that do not truly help the most marginalized. At the same time, housing and homelessness organizations across the country are feeling the positive impacts of renewed federal government investment in affordable housing.
Social housing was considered critical infrastructure in the post-World War II economic recovery. From 1947 to 1986, there were over 250,00 social housing units constructed across the country. But amidst concerns with deficits, a gradual divestment began in the mid-1970s, as governments primarily provided funds to charities and churches to build and operate social housing.
By 1993, the federal government had withdrawn completely from funding new affordable housing. In 1996, it was announced that the management and funding of social housing would be transferred to the provinces, which was for the most part downloaded to municipalities.
Mass homelessness emerged in the mid-1980s, and with unstable revenue streams and no ability to run deficits, cities like Ottawa were left with few resources to address a growing crisis. It is no surprise then that interventions have primarily been at the emergency response level.
It’s rare that problems have the solution right in their name, but homelessness does. It’s homes. Homes that are permanent, affordable, accessible, in close proximity to transit and other needed resources, and with supports according to a person’s individual needs.
The National Housing Strategy is explicit in taking a human-rights based approach to housing. It is the work of governments, at all levels, to promote, protect and realize the fundamental human right to housing.
A system that enshrines the right to housing must work at every level. There must be an adequate supply of deeply affordable housing, and policies that ensure lower- and middle-income individuals and families are not priced out of the private rental market, or of home ownership. Homelessness prevention involves income supports, anti-discrimination policies, rent supplements, early intervention strategies and more. Housing loss must be an absolute last resort, and when it is unavoidable, emphasis must be placed on rapid re-housing. Housing First, an approach in which people experiencing homelessness are offered permanent homes without preconditions, and supports are built around them to enable them to keep those homes, is widely considered a best practice. Permanent supportive housing is considered a part of the Housing First continuum and is particularly effective for people with complex mental health and substance use disorders.
All of these interventions require sustained government action and investment. And while cycles of spending inevitably result in calls for more fiscal prudence, we would do well to remember the mistakes of the past. There is always a cost to inaction, and these costs are often borne at the community level.
Study after study has shown that housing is a key determinant of physical, mental and emotional health. There is no wellbeing at an individual, family or community level, without stable housing.
Caroline Cox has been with Shepherds of Good Hope in many capacities since 2007. She is presently Senior Manager of Communications.