We cannot solve the homelessness crisis without supportive housing.
Congratulations on, and thank you for, running for political office as a Member of Provincial Parliament in this election.
Our organizations have joined with a number of others from across the province to urge the provincial government to take action on supportive housing. Supportive housing combines housing assistance (e.g., rent-geared-to-income and rent supplements) and wrap-around support services (e.g. counseling, addiction supports, life skills training, medication management, and more) to serve many client populations. We have appended more information below the survey in case it is of help in preparing your response.
We look forward to hearing your position and personal commitment on the following questions. Your answers will be shared with our broader coalition across the province.
1) Do you agree that one Minister and Ministry should be put in charge of ending homelessness in Ontario within ten years?
2) Will your party commit to, or will you as a Member of Provincial Parliament advocate for, ensuring the creation of at least 40 000 supportive housing spaces over the next ten years?
Background
Ontario faces three crises in housing – attainability, affordability and homelessness. These crises were and are exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The economic chaos created as our American allies become difficult neighbours threatens to pile on top of the COVID-19 damage before our society, systems and people have recovered, and make homelessness even worse, when it has already devasted health for generations. Ontarians experiencing homelessness get sick, stay sick and die young. Street-involved men in Toronto die 24 years younger, and women in Toronto die 42 years younger, than the general population.
We cannot solve the homelessness crisis without supportive housing.
The demand for supportive housing has continued to rise across Ontario. In 2017, an expert panel indicated the need to build an additional 30,000 new supportive housing units in the province over the following 10 years. It is clear this outdated estimate is very low. The supply of new supportive housing spaces has not met that 2017 target. Additionally, the cost of housing has dramatically increased, along with many other goods essential to a thriving, healthy life. It is reasonable to expect prevalence may have increased in the last eight years. Finally, that estimate was for mental health and addictions units specifically and did not address needs in other areas.
Supportive housing residents report positive mental health and substance use outcomes, enhanced community integration, and overall well-being. A national evaluation of supportive housing by the Mental Health Commission of Canada found every $10 investment into supportive housing yields $21.72 in public cost savings.
Commit to supportive housing by emailing taeh@taeh.ca.