In a new report published today, the Federal Housing Advocate is recommending permanent federal investments in human rights-based responses to encampments.
On National Housing Day, the Federal Housing Advocate and Canada’s Accessibility Commissioner call for urgent action to ensure that every person in Canada — regardless of who they are, their background, or their ability — has access to affordable and accessible housing.
The Federal Housing Advocate’s speech at the Collectif québécois pour la prévention de l'itinérance (Quebec collective for preventing homelessness) conference titled L’itinérance, le logement et la loi (Homelessness, housing, and the law).
The Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate have collaborated to monitor the right to adequate housing for people with disabilities in Canada.
The Federal Housing Advocate is calling on the Government of Canada to take bold action to address the housing crisis by making non-market housing a cornerstone of its strategy, ensuring federal housing policy meets the country's human rights commitments. A new report, commissioned by the Advocate's office and penned by housing policy expert Dr. Carolyn Whitzman, warns that Canada is falling far short of meeting the targets set out in the National Housing Strategy.
Solving the housing crisis requires more than accelerating supply — it demands the right kind of housing, guided by clear definitions, measurable targets, and a strong commitment to human rights.
Accessible housing is about all of us. Over 8 million Canadians live with a disability and that number will only grow as our population ages. Accessible housing is a moral and pragmatic imperative. This national building plan can do both: meet the urgency of this moment and fulfill Canada’s human rights obligations.
Opening remarks to the CRPD committee on the occasion of Canada's combined 2nd and 3rd Periodic Reviews by Charlotte-Anne Malischewski, Interim Chief Commissioner Canadian Human Rights Commission