The growing need for social and affordable housing: A municipal perspective

Starting with the Dominion Housing Act of 1935 and ending with the Harper era, thispaper provides a historical perspective of Canada's housing policy. In doing this paper clearly demonstrates the transformation of Canada's housing continuum over the decades. Emphasis is placed on the most recent shift from policies and programs that has resulted in the creation of the majority of Canada's social housing portfolio to policies primarily aimed at affordable housing programs. This paper analyzes some of the major impacts that this policy shift has had on Canada's housing market and the low-income households who rely on these programs for support.

In contextualizing the rising cost of private ownership and private rental housing, market factors are reviewed for their propensity to drive housing costs beyond the affordability thresholds of low and average income Canadians. As the cost of home ownership increases more people of average income are seeking out option to rent, thus driving up the cost of rental which has traditionally been one of few housing option available to lower-income households who don't qualify for or are waiting for social housing.Through this cascading effect, market factors are also indirectly impacting the furious pace at which social housing waitlists are growing and creating a greater demand for more affordable housing options.

Other key policy decisions that have occurred at both the federal and provincial level including the downloading of expensive social programs, including housing, are also reviewed. These decisions provide insight into the financial challenges municipalities arefacing with regard to social and affordable housing. These decisions are by far the largest contributors to the ballooning municipal budgets and mounting social housing repair backlog. Following this is an in-depth analysis of the policies, tools, legislation and financial approaches available to municipalities to address their growing financial responsibilities while also addressing the growing need for more affordable housing units. This paper uses Toronto's Affordable Housing Action Plan as a specific example of how Canada's largest municipal and largest provider of social housing is attempting to meet these growing needs. A few key recommendations are made to enhance these plans.

While advocating the senior levels of government for more money or pressuring them to upload social expenditures to alleviate growing budgets at the municipal level are popular suggestions at the municipal level, municipalities must also become more creative in addressing these issues on their own. The final chapter outlines a number of case studies where, through collaboration and collaborative approaches to planning, municipalities and communities have managed to become the solution, or at least part of the solution. Alexandria Park is a unique case that exemplifies the power of an engaged and united community that rallies around a unified vision of what the future of their neighbourhood should be and how it will be achieved. Two other case studies present the realm of what is possible at the municipal level through collaboration and collaborative discourse around implementing strategic affordable housing policies.