For decades, social housing has been an integral part of Canadian housing and social policy. Between the1950s and 1990s, the federal government played a leading role in housing policy by entering into long-term operating agreements with social housing providers. The expiry of these social housing operating agreements, which provide mortgage and rental subsidies, threatens the affordability of these homes and puts the stability of the low-income households who live in them at risk. This is a significant change in the landscape of Canadian housing.
Housing and homelessness
Manitoba's affordable housing program is designed to help households with moderate incomes afford rent. Despite tight rental markets in cities like Winnipeg, some affordable housing units are sitting empty. This report analyzes the affordable housing program and makes recommendations to better utilize publicly subsidized housing assets in Manitoba.
There is some good news in the Province's recently released second annual All Aboard report, which tracks poverty and social exclusion in Manitoba. However, it's clear that much more needs to be done.
The report looks at 21 indicators covering areas such as housing, community belonging, education, employment, earnings, poverty rates, income inequality, early learning and childcare, children in care, teen birth rates, and health.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Canada’s national housing agency, has undergone a profound shift in recent decades. Prior to 1993, it was the main vehicle through which the federal government supported social housing in Canada. CMHC opened up homeownership opportunities for moderate-income Canadians by insuring and backing home mortgage guarantees. It was also the primary funder of Canadian housing research, providing an important window into the housing needs of all Canadians.
A wealth of evidence—both global and local—confirms the value of literacy, and the importance of programs that promote literacy. This is especially the case for low-income individuals and communities, for whom gains in literacy can be transformative.
Read full report by clicking green button above.
A wealth of evidence—both global and local—confirms the value of literacy, and the importance of programs that promote literacy. This is especially the case for low-income individuals and communities, for whom gains in literacy can be transformative.
Last night several dozen business leaders, politicians and high profile Winnipeggers spent a night at Portage and Main in the annual CEO Sleep Out to raise funds and awareness about poverty and homelessness. However if we as a society are actually going to end homelessness, systemic change is needed.
Watch the video below and click here for the full Rooming Houses to Rooming Homes report. This documentary and the related report look at the disapearance of rooming houses in Winnipeg which are an important kind of housing for people living on low incomes.
http://youtu.be/62B38say-lY
In Winnipeg’s inner city, and especially in West Broadway and Spence neighbourhoods, older homes converted to rooming houses are an important type of housing for many people living on low incomes. However, rooming houses are fast disappearing due to an uncoordinated policy and regulatory framework and market pressures. In addition, there are many day-to-day problems associated with rooming houses related to challenges of poverty and aging housing stock. Research finds that these interrelated issues should be dealt with together.
In Winnipeg's inner city, and espcially in West Broadway and Spence neighbourhoods, older homes converted to rooming houses are an important type of housing for many people living on low incomes. However, rooming houses are fast disappearing due to an uncoordinated policy and regulatory framework and market pressures. In addition, there are many day-to-day problems associated with rooming houses related to challenges of poverty and aging houses. Research finds that these inter-related issues should be dealt with together. In this paper we argue that saving rooming houses ought to become