Despite “housing crisis,” Canada lacks national strategy: UN

Canada has a laundry list of economic and social improvements to make, according to recent UN report. The organization is not only concerned about the persistence of our “housing crisis,” but also about the lack of support for students and those who are unemployed.

Read: Housing too hot in Vancouver, Toronto

In the report, which was based on a review by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the organization says it’s worried about Canada’s lack of a national housing strategy, which should include aspects such as sufficient funding for housing and plans for more social units.

Read: Housing vulnerabilities have edged higher: BoC

All Canadians have a right to housing, says the UN, so it urges the government to take these four steps:

• Progressively increase federal and provincial resources allocated to housing, and reinforce the housing subsidy within the social assistance benefit.
• Take effective measures to increase the availability of social and affordable units.
• Regulate rental arrangements with a view to ensuring tenants enjoy the right to affordable and decent housing, rather than be vulnerable to forced evictions and homelessness.
• Ensure legislation on forced evictions is compatible with international standards.

The organization also warns against the issue of “increasing tuition fees in post-secondary education, combined with decreasing governmental funding, which disproportionately impacts students and families with low income.”

Read:

• What eliminating Ontario education tax credits means for clients
• Cost of post-secondary degree to hit $150K by 2031: TD

Further, for those in the workforce, “The [UN] is concerned that certain disadvantaged and marginalized groups continue to be disproportionately affected by unemployment.” These groups include persons with disabilities, African-Canadians, youth, recent immigrants, minorities and indigenous peoples.”

Read: Advice for older, laid-off clients

Plus, “while noting that minimum wage has been adjusted in all provinces during the period under review, the Committee is concerned that the minimum wage in all provinces remains inadequate and falls short of the living costs.”

Read: Minimum wage hike does more harm than good: Think tank

On the upside, the UN supports the Canadian government’s move to restore the long-form census and introduce a survey on disability, and the diversification of the new federal cabinet—50% of ministers are women and 17% are visible minorities.

Click here to read the full report.

Also read:

Don’t underestimate global wealth gap

Gov’t policies worsen income inequality: Former Statscan chief