Canada听is听experiencing听a serious housing and homelessness crisis.听Too many people听can鈥檛听find a safe, affordable place to live.听Overall homelessness has doubled, and unsheltered homelessness has increased 300%听since 2018, according to the latest national point-in-time count.听
Governments are struggling to respond,听working on the problem in their own ways听without a way听to ensure听they鈥檙e听rowing in the same direction.听Housing policy is disconnected from homelessness, increasing the fragmentation.听听
The crisis is too big for any one government to tackle alone.听To听fix听it, we need to get our听governments听working together to ensure听people in every community have the housing,听supports,听and services they need to find a home and stay housed.听听
National听Issue, Shared Responsibility听
In Canada,听all levels of government share responsibility for housing and homelessness.听While the federal government听provides leadership and long-term funding, provinces and territories control听the听systems听that听determine听whether homes get built, and what kind:听building codes, income supports,听connected听services like health care, and operating funding for听supportive housing.听
Municipalities听face the听reality of the听homelessness听crisis every day, with limited听tools and听resources to respond. At the same time,听they听influence听how much new housing gets built, like zoning, planning, and development charges.听听
Right now, one level of government increases funding while another pulls back.听The federal government funds a supportive housing听building听without听the province or territory being on board to provide the听services residents will need.听听
The federal government holds the power to convene provinces and territories to fix this and a unique opportunity to do so.
Our Opportunity听
Federal-provincial housing agreements听under the National Housing Strategy are set to听expire听in 2027-28. Now is the time听to renew and strengthen how governments work together听on housing and homelessness. 听
That91猫先生听why the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness is advocating for a听Canada Housing Accord.听A Canada Housing Accord would formalize collaboration听so that investments deliver听the housing and homelessness outcomes Canadians听and communities need.听It must include a听clear national homelessness strategy 鈥� something that was missing under the National Housing Strategy.
Developing a Canada Housing Accord听
We鈥檙e听calling on the federal government to听work with provinces and territories to听establish听a听Canada Housing Accord听(CHA),听to renew and replace the听existing听framework and听sunsetting听bilateral听agreements. The CHA听would set out shared principles,听timelines, and targeted outcomes for听both听housing and homelessness听in a multilateral agreement,听similar to听the approach used for听the听Housing Partnership Framework听and听early learning and childcare agreements.听
Next,听provinces and territories听would work with the federal government to听negotiate bilateral听agreements听and听develop听their own action plans that reflect local realities 鈥� including how they will support communities to reduce homelessness.听
Guiding听Principles听听
The foundation of the Canada Housing Accord听multilateral听agreement听should be a set of听guiding听principles听such as:听
- Focus on preventing,听reducing听and ending homelessness
- Agreeing that housing and homelessness are shared responsibilities of all levels of government
- Prioritizing听people听experiencing听the greatest housing need, while working on improving affordability across the housing system听
- Progressive realization of the right to housing听听
- Sharing housing and homelessness data to improve decision-making听
Shared Outcomes听
From these principles, governments can develop a听set of shared outcomes that听can be measured听as the Accord progresses听and听incorporated听in bilateral agreements and action plans.听Improving housing outcomes for Canadians 鈥� not just outputs like the amount of money spent or the number of units produced 鈥� is听critical to developing the programs and policies needed to fix the housing crisis.听The outcomes should听come with timelines听and must听include homelessness reduction听targets听and听ensuring听the conditions people need for adequate housing, such as:听
- Rent and mortgage affordability听
- Condition of housing听听
- Size of home听appropriate for听the household听
- Security of tenure for residents听
- Availability of essential services听
- Proximity to jobs,听schools听and community听
- Cultural adequacy听
- Equitable access to housing, including those from marginalized groups听
Clear Roles and Responsibilities听听
Achieving these outcomes will require governments to map out a better way to work together,听particularly when it comes to homelessness response. A Canada Housing Accord should clarify what each level of government will听be responsible for听and how they will collaborate to deliver for Canadians.听听
This could include better coordination on federal housing programs like Build Canada Homes to support the people in the greatest housing need; reducing听barriers to new housing; and听linking federal capital funding to provincial/territorial听services听for听supportive听housing so people听don鈥檛听cycle back into homelessness.听听
Measuring Progress听and Sharing Data听
Finally, to keep everything on course,听we鈥檒l听need national, high-quality data to听coordinate homelessness听response听and听identify听what91猫先生听working and where systems are听what91猫先生听not,听to听continuously听improve.听A Canada Housing Accord听should听establish听national听baselines and targets听for听each identified outcome,听supported by a shared system to measure results.听听
Next Steps听
As new听housing and homelessness investments听roll out, a Canada Housing Accord is the best way to make sure听they lead to real outcomes:听more affordable housing and fewer people experiencing homelessness.听听