Ontario Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy

The Government of Ontario committed to releasing a long-term affordable housing strategy in 2007, and held consultations in 2009. With the support of clinic staff from across Ontario, ACTO called for amendments to housing legislation that would better protect tenants, both in the private market and those living in subsidized housing.

After delays, Building Foundations: Building Futures:Ontario’s Long-term Affordable Housing Strategy was finally released on November 30, 2010.

ACTO is a member of the Housing Network of Ontario. The HNO summarized the key areas for action put forward by policy experts and people living in poverty and created 5 Tests for success of Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy:

Bold targets & sustained funding to build new affordable homes annually
Programs & services to make housing truly affordable and accessible
Reforms to housing legislation to build stronger communities
Clear ways to measure progress and ensure marginalized groups benefit equitably
Accountability to stay on track

Unfortunately, the long-term affordable housing strategy fails the HNO’s 5 Tests and does not include many of the changes that ACTO and the clinic system was seeking. The government notes that “the future of housing depends on adequate, sustained funding” but fails to commit any money to a single new unit of housing and contains only a nod to ‘exploring’ the possibility of a housing benefit to help tenants pay high rents. The plan includes no changes to the RTA to protect tenants in the private market, but does ease the rent rules for tenants in social housing. Changes to the Planning Act to allow second suites are the only step towards increasing the supply of housing, as inclusionary housing policies were not included. No new measures were included to help tenants who experience discrimination or have disabilities. Some improvements are promised with coordination of programs and local control.

Bill 140, Strong Communities Through Affordable Housing Act, is the cornerstone of the long-term affordable housing strategy. ACTO appeared before the Standing Committee on Justice Policy and called for changes to the legislation to ensure fairness for tenants and to protect social housing from privatization. ACTO will monitor the new legislation and continue to press the government to improve the strategy so that it will effectively address the housing crisis in Ontario.