Couch Surfing – Issue Brief

This issue brief is the fourth publication in ACTO’s Your Way Forward (YWF) issue brief series. It builds on key themes from the research report, “The Journey to Housing Stability for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence“.

Couch surfing is an unstable type of temporary housing in which individuals stay with friends, relatives, neighbours, religious community members, or strangers, or at hotels or motels to avoid becoming homeless. It is considered a form of hidden homelessness.

This brief explores the realities of couch surfing, its impact on GBV survivors, and includes a powerful vignette illustrating how this precarious situation can re-traumatize those already affected.

This project was produced by ACTO’s Your Way Forward team with support from the Department of Justice Canada.

Couch Surfing Issue Brief

By Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario

The Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO) is a specialty community legal clinic, funded by Legal Aid Ontario, with a province-wide mandate to serve low-income tenants across the province. The clinic also coordinates the Tenant Duty Counsel Program (TDCP) across Ontario, which provides legal information and assistance to self-represented tenants appearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board.