What's New
June 17
Government Fails to Meet Deadline for Release of Affordable Housing Strategy
The Ontario government has failed to meet its own deadline of Spring 2010 and has acknowledged that it will be delaying the release of the highly anticipated long-term affordable housing strategy until the fall. Housing Network of Ontario members are very disappointed in this delay, as it means yet another summer of uncertainty and hardship for the hundreds of thousands of Ontarians facing housing-related poverty.
The Toronto Star coverage can be viewed here.
Read the Housing Network of Ontario press release.
The Housing Network of Ontario is encouraging everyone to call/email/write/visit McGuinty, Minister Bradley, and their local MPP to express your frustration at another setback, and to tell them that they need to renew and strengthen their commitment to poverty reduction by bringing in a fully-funded, comprehensive affordable housing strategy. The HNO steering committee will be meeting to chart some bold and creative ways to ramp up public support and increase the pressure on government to address the housing crisis in Ontario over the coming months. Ideas and suggestions are welcome.
May 31
Where’s Home? Report Highlights Urgent Affordable Housing Need in Ontario
While the economic situation in Ontario may be improving, low and modest income households across the province still struggle to access the most crucial and basic aspect of economic and personal success – a safe and affordable home.
The 2010 edition of Where’s Home? authored by the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) and the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada Ontario Region (CHF Canada's Ontario Region), analyzes 22 separate housing markets across Ontario and highlights the urgent need for more affordable rental housing.
Some of the general key findings in this year's report seem to confirm observations of housing trends in Ontario such as:
- While vacancy rates are stabilizing, after tightening up the last four years, rents are still rising faster than incomes of renter households.
- Average rents increased three times the rate of inflation across the province in 2009.
- Waiting lists for assisted housing are long and they are growing, swelling to about 142,000 households throughout Ontario.
- One-in-five Ontario renter households are still spending more than half their income on housing.
- There is a growing gap in the incomes of tenants and homeowners.
- Demand for affordable units is conservatively estimated at 10,000 homes a year for the next decade.
- Over the last ten years in Ontario, factoring in demolitions and conversions, less than 900 units/year have been added to the stock.
- An astonishing 95% of the housing starts in the last five year period were in the ownership market, with rental accounting for only 5%. Just 15 years ago, rental construction accounted for over a quarter (27%) of the market.
The full Where’s Home? report can found on the web sites of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (Ontario Region) and the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Federation
May 25
6-Stop Affordable Housing Tour
The Ottawa Branch of the Housing Network of Ontario and six local housing providers throughout the city are offering an opportunity for all Ottawa area MPPs to participate in a 6-Stop Affordable Housing Tour in May and June.
The 6-Stop Affordable Housing Tour will showcase Ottawa’s existing affordable housing for families, youth, and single adults in different parts of the city. The media are invited to come out to each stop on the tour to hear and see first hand what is working well in Ottawa.
“Our community needs every MPP in the Ottawa region to be active champions of affordable housing,” says Eugene Williams, Co chair of the Ottawa branch of The Housing Network of Ontario. “The tour is a chance to see first hand how successes can be replicated; we plan a ‘show and tell’ tour to demonstrate ‘here is what it takes; this is what it gets you’.”
Download the PDF of the full media release
May 21
Email Premier Dalton McGuinty
The Registered Nurses Association fo Ontario has set up an area of their web site where you can send and email message to Premier Dalton McGuinty showing your support for a strong Long Term Affordable Housing strategy. You don't have to be a nurse to send a message. You can edit the information that is sent to talk about your story.
Send your message to Dalton McGuinty here
You can also send a message to Minister of Muncipal Affairs and Housing Jim Bradley in support of Inclusionary Housing here.
April 22
Take 2 minutes for Affordable Housing
We need you to add your voice on Friday April 30th to keep the pressure on for a Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy that works!
The Housing Network of Ontario has released Building the Foundation for Ontario’s Future: 5 Tests for Success of Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy and every MPP has received a copy.
Please take 2 minutes on Friday April 30th to email or call your MPP to reinforce the message that Ontarians need a Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy that will effectively reduce and eventually eliminate housing-related poverty. Ask your MPP if they will endorse a housing strategy that passes the HNO’s 5 Tests. A plan that passes these 5 Tests will effectively reduce and eventually eliminate housing-related poverty, build equitable, inclusive and thriving communities, and help strengthen Ontario’s economy through long-term job creation and lowering the social costs associated with poverty.
Find your MPP
After you make the call/send the email, let us know.
Please email dirksy@lao.on.ca to confirm you took this action, & share any response you get.
Check out some of the media responses to Building the Foundation for Ontario’s Future: 5 Tests for Success of Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy
Thanks!
April 19
The Housing Network of Ontario has released its "5 Test for a Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy"
Building the Foundation for Ontario’s Future: 5 Tests for Success of Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy, summarizes what thousands of low-income Ontarians and advocates expect of the government’s promised Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy, due to be released in June.
February 8
The Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy consultations are over but the work continues.
And the Toronto Star agrees: Get Going on Housing
Arrange to meet with your MPP to advocate for affordable housing in your community!
The deadline to make submissions to the Long Term Affordably Housing Strategy has passed but our elected officials need to hear that the lack of affordable housing in our communities is an urgent and pressing need that must be addressed, both in the 2010 budget, and through a comprehensive, fully-funded long-term affordable housing strategy. You can use the attached tip-sheet, produced by HNO-partner Campaign 2000, for information and suggestions on how to begin lobbying your MPP. Feel free to use other materials available on the Housing Network of Ontario website when you meet with your MPP.
January 12
You can view some of the many submissions that have been made to the provincial Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy.
The work of the Housing Network of Ontario and housing issues in general continue to receive media attention
December 15
The deadline for making submissions to the Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy is December 31. If you are thinking about making a submission and would like to see what other groups have been saying we have posted several examples on our submissions page.
The Housing Network of Ontario submission can be viewed here
As well, we have produced a template that can help you create your submission.
Template in Word format
Template in PDF format
For more information about how to make you contribution to the Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy, visit the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing website.
November 27
Information about the Leadership Forum on November 30th has been posted.
We now have copies of some of the submissions that have been made to the Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy.
November 16
Communities Speak
This Housing Network of Ontario report consolidates recommendations made by many hundreds of Ontarians who participated in almost 40 community meetings and consultations focussed on developing an affordable housing strategy, held from June to November 2009
October 27
Community consultations are still happening
Still more media reports about housing issues
October 9
Media report from Thunder Bay provincial consultations
Upcoming consultations and forums in Parry Sound and Grey Bruce/Owen Sound
September 29
Inclusionary housing (and the promise of thousands of new affordable homes in new developments across the province) is one step closer in Ontario
September 21
Housing issues have been receiving lots of media attention recently
September 16
New resources for RHINO
Announcement of MPP meeting in Scarborough
September 14
MPP meeting in Ottawa
Report on housing issues from Simcoe County added to RHINO resources
September 9
Provincial MPPs are having their own consulation meetings. See the list of meetings we know about here.
New resources from the Rural Housing Issues Network of Ontario (RHINO) have been added.
September 1
A new network of housing providers and concerned citizens in small towns and rural communities across Ontario, known as the Rural Housing Issues Network of Ontario (RHINO) is being formed.
August 28
Three tips for getting ready for the fall provincial consultations
July 28
Media reports from consultation in Ottawa have been posted to In the Media
July 23
More media reports including an interview with Yutaka Dirks and Linda Coltman have been posted to In the Media
A video interview with Minister Watson has been posted under News and Events
July 21
Five Questions - Five Answers Tip Sheet and information about the House Project have been posted to Helpful Resources
A report on the Scarborough Community Meeting has been posted to What Communities are Doing
Media reports from Windsor and Waterloo Region have been posted to In the Media
Older
Fact sheets on Inclusionary Housing and the Housing Benefit have been posted in Helpful Resources
Report on the Peel Region housing consultation is posted in What Communities are Doing
New postings of the Housing Consultation in In the Media
Read new stories from the front lines in All Stories
The Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy is due on June 1.
© 2009 
The Wellesley Institute