As summer begins to wind down (despite our best efforts) it is time once again to provide you all with an update on the hard work going on at CHRA to advocate for policies and programs that will support your efforts to ensure everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home. The last few months have been busy ones and as we begin to prepare for the return of Parliament it will only continue to get busier and for good reason.

Across the country we are continuing to grapple with a worsening housing crisis, making it increasingly difficult for many to find decent and affordable housing and leading to rising homelessness and financial strain on low- and middle-income families. Despite growing need, Canada’s supply of community housing still only represents less than 4% of Canada’s total housing stock. That is why we have been working hard to make sure that the federal government understands that we need to double the share of non-market community housing to provide more safe and affordable housing options for people and communities across the country.

 

What we’ve been working on

CHRA’s has consistently been the national voice for the community housing sector and the federal government is starting to get the message. Over the last two years the federal government has committed to approximately $8 billion for community housing through initiatives such as the Affordable Housing Fund, and the Rapid Housing Initiative. These commitments represent a strong first step in the right direction and it would not have been possible without the consistent advocacy and voice of CHRA’s membership.

A clear example of the impact our collective action can have is seen in the release of Canada’s Housing Plan right before this year’s annual federal budget. Many of the important initiatives outlined in this plan, such as announcement of the Canada Rental Protection Fund, would likely not have happened without the collective advocacy of the community housing sector. However, the hard work on Canada’s Housing Plan is not yet over; CHRA remains actively engaged with the federal government on a number of key commitments including, but not limited to; the Public Lands for Homes Plan, the Canada Rental Protection Fund, and the reforms being made to the Affordable Housing Fund. We know our members and the people they serve need these commitments to roll out in as fast and as cleanly as possible and have been making that case clearly to everyone that will listen.

In addition to this we have still been actively work on engaging Parliamentarians on these issues as well. In May this year, CHRA Executive Director Ray Sullivan appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities to talk about federal investments in housing. We have also prepared a pre-budget written submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance with a series of recommendations that we plan on making a priority for the fall session of parliament.

 

Looking Ahead

Going forward, we know that there is still a lot of work to be done. While housing is a top issue on the minds of all elected (and un-elected) officials we need to make sure that community housing is understood as a core part of the solution. As we head into 2025 that there is a focus on how to grow and strengthen the community housing sector and how to provide supports for the people that you all serve.

CHRA will continue to prioritize the rapid and successful implementation of the commitments made in Canada’s Housing Plan and will always bring the voices and perspectives of our members to the forefront. As we head into the fall, please keep an eye out for member engagement opportunities where we will try to directly solicit your thoughts and ideas for how these programs and initiatives might support the work that you do.

We will keep pushing the federal government to do more, particularly in how they might better support, strengthen and grow the organizations within the community housing sector. Building this organizational strength and infrastructure will be critical to being able to deliver on the goal of doubling the share of community housing. If you would like to hear about our ideas and how we can do that, subscribe to our Flash newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

We are currently planning our Housing on the Hill Day where we bring our members’ voices directly to Parliament. This annual event serves as a critical point of our advocacy where housing professionals such as yourselves meet with MPs to discuss the issues and priorities of the community housing sector. This year’s event will take place on November 25 and 26. Registration for the event will be open in mid-September.

 

Want to read more about CHRA’s recommendations to the federal government? Check out our advocacy page.