Ontario’s affordable housing crisis deepens
Where’s Home? 2013
Looking back and looking forward at the need for affordable housing in Ontario
Housing does not just reflect inequality—it magnifies it. Housing is far and away the largest expense of moderate and low income households. One conclusion resonates over the 20 years covered in this retrospective edition of Where’s Home?. Housing affordability for low income Ontarians has deteriorated. There are rising numbers of people with low-incomes facing a rising gap between income and rents.
Adding to these challenges is a looming issue with serious implications for housing affordability in Ontario. Many non-profit, co-operative and government housing projects built in the 1960s to 1980s through federal-provincial programs will reach the end of their operating agreements over the next few years. Unless renewed financing measures are put in place, rent-geared-to-income
units in these buildings, home to tens of thousands of low-income Ontarians, are in danger of being lost.
Housing is not only a social justice or anti-poverty issue. The lack of a sufficient supply of affordable housing shuts the door on opportunity for too many Ontarians. This undermines our collective prosperity. Investing in affordable housing provides economic stimulus and creates jobs. It improves heath and education outcomes. It lessens demand on resource-intensive areas of public expenditure, such as emergency services. And the lack of affordable housing for key workers in many sectors
undermines Ontario’s economic competitiveness.
See the full report at: http://ow.ly/m94rt
Language shapes how we think about things
When talking about housing stability it is important to be aware of language. Language plays an important role in shaping how we think about things. In turn, how people think about things changes what they believe should be done about them. The Homelessness and Housing Umbrella Group for Waterloo Region has prepared a Language Guide as part of their All Roads Lead to Home: The Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy.
Some phrases or words that were used to talk about homelessness in the past are now considered outdated, even offensive. Many of these older phrases or words served to perpetuate stigmas and misconceptions. To help shift toward more supportive and respectful use of language, consider following these principles:
1. Focus on the solution rather than the problem.
2. Use ‘people first’ language.
3. Use respectful language.
4. Avoid terms that pass judgment.
5. Avoid terms that ‘rank’ people.
6. Avoid using aggressive language.
7. Avoid terms that don’t recognize context.
For example, replace “homelessness” with “housing stability” – emphasize the vision for the future for that person.
Replace “homeless person” with “person experiencing homelessness” – prioritize the person over any affiliated condition or circumstance.
The use of the term “front line worker” reflects an aggressive or militaristic view of the world, which can give the impression that people are somehow “at war” either with one another and/or against a social issue like poverty.
For more examples see the DOCS_ADMIN-1161467-v1-HHSU_LANGUAGE_GUIDE_UPDATED_APRIL_2012
