This text is part of the special Real Estate section
The housing crisis is a headache for Canadian leaders. In its most recent report Co-create the right to adequate housing in Canada, the National Housing Council is launching ideas and recommendations for what needs to be done on the ground. Starting by defining what this right to adequate housing is and how to develop an approach that is based on human rights.
The basics of adequate housing are affordability, accessibility and habitability. Four walls and a roof, yes, but “not only that”. “The fundamental right is to live in housing that is safe, in peace and dignity,” recalls John Harvey, president of the working group on the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing at the National Housing Council. Added to this are certain elements, such as sustainability, that is, housing with low or zero emissions and built with durable materials that protect against the whims of Mother Nature. Housing must also be located close to essential services for shopping and receiving health care, if necessary. All necessary facilities must also be in place in said accommodation, such as access to water and heating. “There’s also cultural fit,” adds Mr. Harvey. This means that residents of the accommodation can express their cultural identity there. They must, of course, be secure against forced evictions, excessive rent increases and any form of threat.
These criteria for what constitutes sufficient housing are known, but once we approach the right to this housing, the notion becomes more vague, notes John Harvey. According to him, this is a whole way of understanding this right that must change in Canada. “We have been facing the same problem for around 20 years, and the housing crisis did not arrive overnight. “It’s time to change the way we think about housing and see it as a human right,” he insists.
Towards a common language
“When we did the consultations for the report, we spoke with a wide range of people, about 200 across Canada, some with lived experience, but also housing and real estate specialists, government officials and community organizations,” explains John Harvey. From the outset, a question was raised: how to define the right to adequate housing? “What is very clear is that there is no common understanding of what this right means,” he emphasizes. So the first step is to establish a common language and understanding.
The Government of Canada committed in 2019 through its National Housing Strategy Act to making the right to housing a fundamental human right, as also recognized by the United Nations. “We must understand Canada’s obligations in terms of housing, particularly as a signatory country to international pacts which define the standards of sufficient housing, this can give an idea of the standards that the country should seek to respect,” suggests Mr. Harvey .
A person-based approach
The second step to creating sufficient housing in Canada is creating a human rights-based approach, says John Harvey. “The question is: does that mean everyone has a place to live? If I complain about not having one, does that mean the government is obligated to provide me with housing? “That doesn’t mean that,” he says. Mr. Harvey specifies that it is rather a question of demonstrating that all efforts are made to the maximum of available resources to guarantee that housing rights are respected in Canada. There is a whole notion of measuring results there.
This is the third step to create this right to sufficient housing. “We need to create accountability measures that will no longer be focused on the individual, but on the system. Insecure access to housing is no longer the fault of the individual, but a systemic problem,” presents John Harvey. This transfer of responsibility is essential according to him, because it reduces the effects of stigmatization of part of the population. He adds that the notion of accountability is also essential to see improvements and quantify results. “We need an accountability system that includes measures and parameters to check whether we are achieving the expected results, whether or not we have complied with legislation and our national and international agreements,” he says.
To achieve its goals, the government must dig deeper to find out what types of housing are needed, says the expert. “How many high density units do we need? Single-family units? How many housing units are suitable for specific populations such as Indigenous people, students, etc.? » he lists. According to him, this right to sufficient housing will be gradually implemented once the approach mentalities have changed.
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