This document discusses housing insecurity and homelessness in Canada. It makes four key observations: 1) Housing insecurity and homelessness are deep and persistent problems, 2) They are costly to both individuals and society, 3) Federal investments in housing and homelessness programs have been eroding, and 4) Canada lacks a comprehensive national plan to address these issues. The document advocates for developing new policies and tools to solve the problems in a holistic way.

1. Housing insecurity and
homelessness: What
should be done?
Michael Shapcott
U of T, 4 June 2013

2. Four observations:
1. Housing insecurity deep / persistent
2. Costly to people, communities,
economy, government
3. Federal housing / homelessness
investments eroding
4. No comprehensive national plan

3. Most
housing
needs
invisible

4. Bad housing makes you sick!
Homelessness:
Increased morbidity
Increased premature morality
Mental health:
Alarming rates... especially
Clinical depression and anxiety
Control / meaning
Collective efficacy
Biological / physical:
Chemicals, gases, pollutants
Design (accidents) / crowdingSocio-economic:
Affordability / energy
Transportation / income / jobs
Contextual:
Individual / neighbourhood deprivation
networks / friends / crime

5. Good housing good for health!
Physical and mental health:
Better health outcomes /
decreased health care utilization
Community safety:
Reduced recidivism among
people leaving incarceration
Affordability interventions:
Income-based housing subsidies
Environment / physical infrastructure:
New housing, repairs, heating, noise,
indoor + outdoor environmental issues,
allergens, water + sanitation

6. Toronto 1911:
Founding of
Wellesley Hospital

7. Sprucecourt Apts 1914
Toronto
slum
s
transform
ed
into
good
hom
es

8. Equity impact

9. Plentyofpractical
solutionsacrossCanada

10. ‘Homelessness
is a
man-
made
disaster’
- Ursula Franklin

11. 0.50%
0.60%
0.70%
0.80%
0.90%
1.00%
1.10%
1.20%
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Erosion of federal housing investments
(Federal housing investments as a percentage of GDP)
1993
-end
of
federalhousing
1996
-‘step-outof
federalhousing
1998
-N
ational
H
ousing
A
ct
1995
-N
D
P-Liberal
budgetdeal
2009
- Stats
Canada
cancels
G
RE
database
Source: Statistics Canada GRE database

12. $0#
$500#
$1,000#
$1,500#
$2,000#
$2,500#
$3,000#
$3,500#2007-01-012008-01-012009-01-012010-01-012011-01-012012-01-012013-01-012014-01-012015-01-012016-01-012017-01-01
Source: CMHC Corporate Plan 2013
2010 - federalstimulus budget
National housing spending (in millions)
$1.4 billion cut from 2010 to
2017: 45% reduction in
national housing spending

13. $0##
$50##
$100##
$150##
$200##
$250##
$300##
$350##
$400##
$450##2007*01*01#2008*01*01#2009*01*01#2010*01*01#2011*01*01#2012*01*01#2013*01*01#2014*01*01#2015*01*01#2016*01*01#2017*01*01#
Source: CMHC Corporate Plan 2013
2015 - zero federal dollarsfor new housing
Affordable Housing Initiative (in millions)

14. Source: CMHC Corporate Plan 2013
Erosion of federally-subsidized housing
450000$
500000$
550000$
600000$
650000$
700000$
2007(01(01$2008(01(01$2009(01(01$2010(01(01$2011(01(01$2012(01(01$2013(01(01$2014(01(01$2015(01(01$2016(01(01$2017(01(01$
Cut of 133,800 subsidized
homes - 21% loss

15. Dynamic
policy
landscape

16. New thinking and new
tools required

17. http://www.princes-foundation.org/sites/default/files/pf_community_capital_digital.pdf
Weneedtothinkinsystems
anddeveloppracticaltools

18. Mobilizing for
positive change

19. Thank you!
www.wellesleyinstitute.com