New data shows that people with disabilities face financial hardship, unsafe housing, and a lack of supports and services at far higher rates than people without disabilities.
On National Housing Day, Marie-Josée Houle, Federal Housing Advocate, issues the following statement. A version of this story was published in Le Devoir (French only) on November 22, 2024.
The groups, including Federal Housing Advocate Marie-Josée Houle, President of Métis Nation – Saskatchewan Glen McCallum, and Loretta King, Metis-Nation – Saskatchewan’s Infrastructure and Housing Minister, will also meet with federal ministers and senators in Ottawa that day to discuss the recommendations and advocate for solutions.
Across Canada, people continue to be forced to live in public spaces because they have nowhere else to go. This national human rights crisis calls for a national response.
A new monitoring project confirms that people with disabilities are overrepresented in nearly all aspects of inadequate housing and homelessness. It provides clear evidence of what people with disabilities in Canada have been saying for many years: their fundamental human right to housing is being violated.
The Federal Housing Advocate welcomes the new report by the review panel on the Financialization of Purpose-Built Rental Housing, which was released on May 29.
Canada’s housing situation has reached a crisis point. While there has been some progress, we have much work ahead of us.
The Federal Housing Advocate notes that since this letter was published, the Canadian Board on Harmonized Construction Codes has proposed additional new changes to the National Building Code and has begun a separate consultation on these additional changes.
The Federal Accessibility Commissioner’s 2023 Report to the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with disabilities
