What Communities are Doing
What Communities are Doing
Peel Region
Parry Sound
Scarborough
Sault Ste. Marie
Toronto
Peel Region
Representatives from the Housing Network of Ontario joined housing advocates from Peel Region on June 29 for the second stop of the Ontario government’s province-wide consultation to create a new comprehensive provincial housing plan. The Minister heard about the issues facing low-income people in Peel: a distressing social housing wait list that is the longest in the province at 21 years, the difficulties that tenants face when they try to enforce their rights to housing that is adequate and up to a dignified standard, the lack of affordable housing that is accessible for people with disabilities, NIMBY community opposition to affordable housing. The connection between low social assistance rates and housing insecurity was also repeatedly highlighted by the participants. The Minister also heard about some of the solutions, including inclusionary housing policies that would provide for affordable homes within new developments, increased rent supplements to assist tenants who have seen the gap between their incomes and rents continue to grow, improved enforcement of building standards and residential tenancies act orders and swift action to allow secondary suites as a source of affordable housing.
Parry Sound
Our organization is a network of local groups working towards the reduction of poverty in our area. Some of our member organizations are involved in developing affordable and/or subsidized housing. Our meetings are held once a month. All groups interested in poverty reduction are welcome to send representatives.
Sault Ste. Marie
On June 11, 2009, housing leaders gathered in Sault Ste Marie to prepare for the official Ontario government housing consultation session scheduled for June 16. Here are some notes prepared by a community reporter from that meeting (please note – some of the numbers in this report are best estimates and will be confirmed before they are officially released):
“Not a crisis but a disaster”‟ says Paul Frolich, a local activist. He says every year he sees the same people coming through the shelters and knows that every winter two more will die.
Housing issues identified by participants:
- Hotels downtown being closed meaning loss of rooming house accommodation
- Loss of rental and affordable home ownership as a result of development of bypass and bridge 'plaza'.
- Christian Resource Centre (housing) teetering on collapse
- Vacancy rate 1.5 % down from 12% as people losing jobs in smaller communities in the north move into the Soo.
- Municipal housing provider pursuing an aggressive "ceasing to qualify" policy so when tenants no longer qualify for subsidy they are moved out. Social housing is 100% subsidized - no market rentals- but a questionable policy. Probably doing it to show "movement" on social housing waiting list.
- Downtown is where people with low incomes live. Need access to services and can‟t afford car and public transportation unreliable. NO full service grocery stores downtown so no access to affordable and healthy food.
- Downtown being ‟abandoned‟ by development – new development is happening in north of city near new hospital.
- The local "early warning committee" has identified issues with private rental stock that is not to code – but which if investigated would increase loss of housing. Programmes are required to improve and maintain this as affordable housing.
- Some landlords seek to evict tenants so they can raise rents.
- There isn't an easily available profile of housing stats to use at consultation. Some info on evictions and shelter use and waiting list may get gathered for Tuesday – but this may will become more developed over the next few months.
Taking action on housing:
- The group agreed that something was necessary to provide context and urgency in the consultation and decided to try and do the following things:
- Invite the Minister and MPP on a tour downtown lead by Paul Frolich and others from Voices and Action on Poverty – beginning around 4:30. Local media will be invited and even if Minister and MPP don't attend the tour will go ahead with media.
- End the tour at Soup Kitchen for informal discussion. Legal clinic is going to see about renting bus to take people from Soup kitchen to consultation.
- Someone from Voices – Paul? – will make opening remarks at consultation about local issues to be context for discussion at tables – and to make connection between housing, poverty and job loss.
- As many people as possible will be encouraged to tell their stories at tables and in summary conversation at end
Some “immediate asks” that were identified:
- Asking for funds for a shovel ready 62-unit housing project downtown
- A regulation or legislative change to direct municipalities to not require movement of tenants who "cease to qualify‟"
- Asking for funds for 500 affordable housing units (of various kinds e.g. seniors, transitional, permanent) and portable subsidies to support people in private rental which would fundamentally address housing needs
Overarching goal of participation in consultation is to „break the silence‟ on housing issues - and their connection to poverty and community health. The consultation is the beginning – not the end – of organizing around this issue.
Scarborough
Scarborough Affordable Housing Pre-Consultation Forum
June 17, 2009
A cool and drizzly evening didn’t stop Scarborough residents from coming out on mass to take part in an affordable housing forum at 4205 Lawrence Avenue East, a Toronto Community Housing residence, on June 17. The forum brought together a diverse group of residents from across Scarborough to talk about affordable housing issues in their community, in preparation for the provincial government’s community consultation that will take place on July 21 in Scarborough. About 80 participants took part in the forum organized by Social Planning Toronto, East Scarborough Storefront, West Hill Community Services, Residents Rising, Action for Neighbourhood Change Kingston-Galloway, Scarborough Housing Help Centre, the Wellesley Institute and Scarborough Anti-Poverty Coalition.
Download the full report of this meeting
Toronto
Toronto partners of the Housing Network of Ontario are holding a forum July 16th to talk about issues and how to be involved in the provincial housing consultation.
© 2009 
The Wellesley Institute