Homelessness, a crisis that affects about 11 per cent of all Canadians in their lifetime, often begins with eviction. Once a person or family is evicted, they are on a path that can lead to chronic homelessness while trying to find affordable housing in an increasingly competitive market.
Take, for example, a long-term renter in Kitchener who pays $1,300 for a two-bedroom apartment. If they are evicted – whether because the landlord is moving in a family member, demolishing the building or selling it – the renter will be thrust into a housing market where the average rent for a similar apartment is $2,327. This steep price increase is unsustainable for many, especially those earning minimum wage.
The risk of eviction is not limited to people in precarious financial situations, but can affect renters of all types. This reality underscores the urgent need for stronger renter protections to protect individuals and families from homelessness.
For example, in the Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo metropolitan area, there are no neighbourhoods with affordable one- or two-bedroom apartments for full-time, minimum wage workers. Across Canada, average rents are rising to unaffordable levels.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
The situation is even worse for seniors on a fixed income, single parents and those on welfare. For example, the maximum monthly housing subsidy from Ontario Works is $390 for a single person and $697 for a family of three. The situation is particularly dire for international students without government assistance.
As an eviction prevention worker, my work and the work of my colleagues is critical to preventing people from entering circumstances that expose them to further exclusion and hardship.
Systems of oppression
The most marginalised groups in society are often the most affected by housing shortages. Statistics show that low-income people, particularly indigenous and ethnic minorities, as well as people with disabilities, people with mental health and addiction problems, and newcomers, are disproportionately represented among the homeless.
Systems of oppression hit the most marginalized first and hardest. The poor, Black, Indigenous or people of color, the elderly, or people with disabilities face the greatest hurdles in meeting their basic needs, including securing stable housing.
It is clear that current policies are not enough to address the problem. The housing stability system often overlooks critical realities, such as the near impossibility of finding a new rental after being evicted from an affordable apartment unless you are high-income.
In many regions, waiting lists for social housing are seven years or longer, and even housing rented below average market rates may be unaffordable or inappropriate for families with special needs. This perpetuates the vicious cycle of housing instability and leaves the most vulnerable populations with few options.
Putting an end to chronic homelessness
Supporting low-income renters with affordable housing must be a priority to address the growing housing crisis. To effectively combat short-sighted policies about who is eligible for financial assistance for rent arrears, a more holistic approach is needed – one that considers the long-term consequences of eviction.
Since rent control for vacant apartments was lifted in Ontario in 1996, the availability of affordable housing has steadily declined.
A more compassionate and human-centered approach is needed to support people facing eviction. To end chronic homelessness, we must stop evictions. To protect vulnerable renters from the risk of homelessness, a community-based perspective is essential.
The new affordable housing property tax exemption program in Waterloo Region is a promising step in the right direction. By encouraging landlords to maintain affordable housing, this program could help preserve existing housing stock.
However, creating lasting solutions requires a more comprehensive, multi-faceted approach that takes into account the well-being of entire communities.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Growing wealth gap
Renters in Canada generally have lower incomes and spend more on housing than homeowners. While Canadian homeowners saved seven percent of their net income in 2023, renters spent on average nine percent more than they earned. Wealth inequality is glaring: the net worth of homeowners is four times that of renters.
Multi-property owners have been the largest home buyers in Ontario since 2017. In 2021, 22 percent of home purchases in Ontario were made by people who already owned a property.
It has become almost impossible for renters to save enough money for a down payment, and even if they do manage to do so, they have little chance of competing with investors.
Brian Doucet, Canada Research Chair in Urban Change and Social Inclusion at the University of Waterloo, points out that housing is a human right and a lucrative business – a contradiction that underlies the problem.
The problem cannot be solved simply by increasing the supply of housing when new housing is unaffordable and is primarily aimed at investors rather than those in need. Building high-rise buildings with expensive rental apartments will only exacerbate the problem. The focus should be on building housing that actually meets the need for affordable housing.
Community-centered approach
To truly address the housing crisis, it is essential to prevent the loss of affordable housing and protect vulnerable renters from eviction. Incentives for landlords to preserve affordable housing are critical, as is stopping any development that results in a net loss of such housing.
What is needed is a long-term, community-oriented approach that goes beyond quick fixes and addresses the root causes of housing instability.
The working conditions of those like me on the front lines of this crisis must also be addressed. Workers are often overwhelmed and burned out, but there is hope. My experience in eviction prevention has shown that meaningful change is possible through the combined efforts of peer support workers, social workers, advocates, caseworkers, settlement workers, and mental health specialists.
But real progress requires an honest analysis of the shortcomings of the current system. By acknowledging these shortcomings, Canada can create meaningful change that will truly improve the lives of the people who live here.
