In response to the House of Commons Finance Committee’s annual call for recommendations to inform the federal government’s 2019 Budget, CHRA submitted a brief that included four specific recommendations: simplify and extend the Federal Community Housing Initiative; increase investment to build new affordable housing; expand the current Federal Lands Initiative to allow for acquisition of provincial or municipal lands for affordable housing; and develop and implement an Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy. CHRA will be seeking an in-person appearance before the Finance Committee this fall to discuss these and other ideas directly with the Committee.

Leaders in the affordable housing and homelessness sectors, come meet one-on-one with Members of Parliament and Senators, hear from leading housing policy experts and network with national housing decision-makers. As the last Housing on the Hill before the 2019 federal election, this is a prime opportunity to share your housing ideas with politicians and help inform electoral positions. Spaces are limited, register early to secure your participation.

During Congress 2018 in April, CHRA once again hosted an International Forum for which a number of Canadian and international housing experts came together to discuss common issues in social and affordable housing.  

From that Forum, CHRA has produced a summary report providing an overview of the current state of housing – including broader market housing challenges, jurisdictional reflections, and homelessness – in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. 

At CHRA’s Annual General Meeting in April 2018, members unanimously passed a strongly worded resolution supporting the development of an Indigenous Housing Strategy for urban, rural and northern Indigenous Peoples. CHRA’s Resolution calls on the Government of Canada to develop a strategy that would set forth an objective of raising the standard of Indigenous housing to that of non-Indigenous Canadians within the next 10 years.

CHRA firmly believes that a robust Indigenous housing strategy should include recognition of the growing need for culturally connected and adequate housing for urban, rural and northern Indigenous Peoples, with a view of housing as an integral part of reconciliation. Housing forms the foundation for vibrant Indigenous communities and remains a positive determinant of health and mental wellbeing, education, early child development, and employment.

Calling on the federal government to address the housing needs of urban, rural and northern Indigenous families and individuals, including the disproportionate representation of Indigenous Peoples living in homelessness and core housing the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association and its Indigenous Housing Caucus Working Group released A For Indigenous, By Indigenous (FIBI) National Housing Strategy.

As the voice of the social, non-profit, and affordable housing sector in Canada, the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) was pleased to provide input to the federal government on the design of the legislated right to housing prior to the release of the National Housing Strategy (NHS) in November 2017. In meetings with senior government officials, CHRA advocated strongly for a rights-based approach within the NHS, and captured core characteristics of a rights based approach in a letter to Minister Duclos in September 2017. CHRA is pleased to continue the conversation with the federal government on a legislated right to housing approach through this submission, and through ongoing formal and informal engagement opportunities over the coming months.