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CHF Canada media release
 Previous release Media release index Next release November 21, 2007 - (Ottawa) A detailed report on the almost 1.5 million Canadian households without acceptable housing shows that renters, new immigrants, lone parent families, young adults, the elderly, and Aboriginal households are hardest hit by the lack of affordable housing. The report, released today by the Co‑operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada), also shows the greatest housing need is in the three territories and in British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Ontario. “Behind the housing statistics are real people who pay the price for Canada’s lack of affordable housing,” said Nicholas Gazzard, Executive Director of CHF Canada. “This report tells us who those people are and where the problem is worst.” Written by economics researcher Will Dunning, the report, entitled “Dimensions of Core Housing Need in Canada, ” looked at the most recent housing data (2001) from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. It uses the CHMC definition of “Core Housing Need,” which considers a household to be in need if its housing falls below at least one of the standards of adequacy, suitability or affordability (costs more than 30% of before-tax household income.) Renters account for 68.1 % of core housing need. Lone-parent families have a rate of 30%, double that of other Canadian households. Immigrants have higher rate of need than non- immigrants; for those households who have recently arrived in Canada, the rate is triple that of non-immigrants. Rates are also high among those 15-24 and those over 75. Across Canada, the incidence of core housing need for Aboriginal households in 78% higher than that for non-Aboriginals. “This report paints a human picture of why we need to maintain the federal investment in community housing,” said Sharon Chisholm, Executive Director of the Canadian Housing Renewal Association. “It’s a first important step towards resolving the core housing need that affects so many Canadians.” The Dunning report indicates that affordability is the most common difficulty in finding acceptable housing, with more than 89% of the 1.5 million households claiming it as a problem. In his report, Dunning writes, “While the total housing need problem in Canada is quite large, Canada as a society can afford to address these problems.” (Ottawa) A detailed report on the almost 1.5 million Canadian households without acceptable housing shows that renters, new immigrants, lone parent families, young adults, the elderly, and Aboriginal households are hardest hit by the lack of affordable housing. The report, released today by the Co‑operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada), also shows the greatest housing need is in the three territories and in British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Ontario. “Behind the housing statistics are real people who pay the price for Canada’s lack of affordable housing,” said Nicholas Gazzard, Executive Director of CHF Canada. “This report tells us who those people are and where the problem is worst.” Written by economics researcher Will Dunning, the report, entitled “Dimensions of Core Housing Need in Canada, ” looked at the most recent housing data (2001) from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. It uses the CHMC definition of “Core Housing Need,” which considers a household to be in need if its housing falls below at least one of the standards of adequacy, suitability or affordability (costs more than 30% of before-tax household income.) Renters account for 68.1 % of core housing need. Lone-parent families have a rate of 30%, double that of other Canadian households. Immigrants have higher rate of need than non- immigrants; for those households who have recently arrived in Canada, the rate is triple that of non-immigrants. Rates are also high among those 15-24 and those over 75. Across Canada, the incidence of core housing need for Aboriginal households in 78% higher than that for non- Aboriginals. “This report paints a human picture of why we need to maintain the federal investment in community housing,” said Sharon Chisholm, Executive Director of the Canadian Housing Renewal Association. “It’s a first important step towards resolving the core housing need that affects so many Canadians.” The Dunning report indicates that affordability is the most common difficulty in finding acceptable housing, with more than 89% of the 1.5 million households claiming it as a problem. In his report, Dunning writes, “While the total housing need problem in Canada is quite large, Canada as a society can afford to address these problems.” The full text of the report is available on the CHF Canada website at www.chfcanada.coop. The Co‑operative Housing Federation of Canada is the national voice of the Canadian co‑operative housing movement. Its 1030 members and associates include nearly 875 non- profit housing co‑operatives as well as organizations that are closely linked with housing co‑operatives. For more information: Nicholas Gazzard, Executive Director |
