Ottawa, Ontario – Office of the Federal Housing Advocate
Today, Canada's Federal Housing Advocate, Marie-Josée Houle, asked the National Housing Council to launch a review panel to examine the lack of accessible housing across Canada.
The shortage of accessible housing is a serious human rights concern in every province and territory. Barriers to housing for people with disabilities, seniors, and other equity-deserving groups have serious consequences – some people with disabilities have turned to Medical Assistance in Dying because they can't access housing and supports that meet their needs. The shortage of accessible housing is also contrary to Canada's international and domestic human rights obligations.
Everyone in Canada has the fundamental right to adequate housing — and accessibility is essential to that right. Having an accessible home is crucial for people to be able to live in dignity, free from discrimination, independently, and as part of their communities.
Data from a joint monitoring project between the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate and the Canadian Human rights Commission shows that people with disabilities are overrepresented in all aspects of inadequate housing and homelessness. They are more likely to live in unaffordable and unsafe housing, are often living in homes that are not accessible or do not have the necessary physical aids, and are unable to access crucial supports.
With life expectancy rising and Canada's senior population growing rapidly, the demand for accessible housing is increasing sharply. As people age, many are unable to remain safely in their homes due to evolving mobility and accessibility needs.
These concerns are not new—seniors and people with disabilities have long spoken out about how inaccessible housing harms their physical and mental health. The Advocate has received numerous submissions underscoring the urgency of this issue and has witnessed its impact firsthand in communities across the country.
Inaccessible housing is a systemic problem that undermines countless other human rights. The lack of accessible housing strains our health and social services systems, limits workforce participation, and has economic ripple effects.
As Canada seeks to build a record number of new homes, this is a pivotal moment to build in accessibility, as well as the viewpoints of people with lived experience, from the very start. It is crucial that Canada ensures every person with an accessibility need has an accessible, affordable, and safe place to live.
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Quotes
“There is a shocking lack of accessible housing in Canada, and this is particularly amplified for people in rural, remote, and Northern areas. Accessible housing is a human right. In fact, most of us will need some accessibility features in our homes at some point in our lives. We need accessible and inclusive housing to be built into Canada's housing policies and strategies.”
– Marie-Josée Houle, Federal Housing Advocate
Quick facts
- About 8 million Canadians, or 27% of the population, have a disability. This number is growing — it increased from 22%, or 6.2 million people, in 2017.
- In 2017, about 251,110 people with physical disabilities who needed a physical aid at home said they did not have at least one type of physical aid. In 2022, this number went up to 310,330 people. These figures are likely an underestimate — they exclude people with non-physical disabilities and those in an institutions like group homes, prisons and shelters.
- Public housing is not meeting accessibility needs: In 2016, about 9.8% of these units were accessible. In 2020, this number went down to 8.9%.
Background
- This marks the third time that the Federal Housing Advocate has used her authority to refer a systemic housing issue to the National Housing Council for further examination by a review panel. The National Housing Council must establish a review panel if requested to do so by the Federal Housing Advocate.
- Review panels are a participatory, human rights-based, access to justice mechanism established by the National Housing Strategy Act. Review panel hearings centre around public participation, particularly for communities directly affected by systemic issues. The hearing will provide an opportunity for people with disabilities, seniors, and others to share their experiences with inaccessible housing and the solutions they want to see. Instead of hearing individual complaints about human rights violations, review panels hold hearings into systemic housing issues.
- Further details about the review panel's launch and opportunities to participate will be provided by the National Housing Council.
- The findings and recommendations of the review panel will be set out in a report to the federal Minister responsible for housing, and include the review panel's opinion on the issue and recommendations to address it. The Minister must respond to the report within 120 days and table that response in the House of Commons and the Senate.
Related links
- Monitoring framework: Monitoring the right to housing for people with disabilities
- Open letter by the Federal Housing Advocate – accessible housing and the National Building Code
- Open letter by the Federal Housing Advocate – universal design and accessible housing
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Media contacts
Media Relations
613-943-9118
communications@chrc-ccdp.gc.ca