Opening Doors Through Housing: ONPHA’s Strategic Plan
We have a vision to see every Ontarian in a home where they can fully participate in their community
ONPHA’s 2020-2023 Strategic Plan is our three-year strategy for how we will empower and support ONPHA members through changing times and transition into the new world of affordable housing.
We are releasing our Strategic Plan in a year of unprecedented challenges that have highlighted what those in our sector have long known to be true: a vibrant, innovative, sustainable community housing sector is crucial for maintaining a healthy society.
The adversity our sector and our society is facing has allowed us the opportunity to position housing as a top priority for all levels of government. Working together as a unified voice for the sector, we can ensure that affordable housing is made central to our economic recovery and will be a stepping stone for building inclusive, thriving communities.
As the Province first issued emergency orders to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, ONPHA responded by keeping members informed of the latest developments impacting the sector and worked with members to cultivate best practices for housing providers. We quickly pivoted to organizing ONPHA’s first-ever virtual Conference, offering sessions that are must–attends for those interested and invested in the future of our sector.
At ONPHA, we know we’re stronger when we work together and this thinking is reflected in our Strategic Plan. We’re prioritizing sector support and leadership that will amplify our collective voice as we advocate to all levels of government.
Strategic priorities for 2020-2023
The following strategic priorities are high-level directions that ONPHA will operationalize each year:
Year 1: A full-service professional association
Make ONPHA a centre for housing excellence for non-profit housing providers in Ontario – offer support for organizations of all sizes.
What might this look like?
- Advocating for sector professionalization and standardization
- Working to ensure housing becomes increasingly valued as a fundamental basic need
- Increasing membership and revenue streams
- Establishing a business model that supports a professional association
Year 2: A people-centred integrated system
A system where people have more choice to determine what is best for them. Ensuring that the information and system work for the people it exists to serve.
What might this look like?
- Promoting creative solutions with a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens that better supports people across sectors
- Creating a robust provincial data system that tracks and measures performance and needs
- Creating social infrastructure (e.g. health, education, social support) that supports people to be more self-sufficient
Year 3: A sustainable housing system
Increase the sustainability of the housing system by improving financial stability and enhancing opportunities for new development, (re)development and repurposing existing buildings.
What might this look like?
- Encouraging alternative business and financing models
- Streamlining government pre-development processes
- Setting a goal that homelessness is at a functional zero
Year 4: a cohesive sector leadership
As a leader in the housing sector, we will bring together stakeholders to create system solutions to complex issues.
What might this look like?
- Being responsive to emerging international health issues, including the impacts of climate change
- Addressing housing equity for Ontario’s diverse Indigenous people
- Building a strategy to adjust for research trends and changing demographics
- Promoting collective action and knowledge sharing between organizations and sector partners
Our goals are ambitious, but attainable. More than ever, we need to ensure that Ontario’s community housing sector is at the forefront of governmental priorities and public consciousness and that we have the tools to create the change we want to see. Working together, we can meet our vision: to open doors for all people to thrive.
Download ONPHA’s Strategic Plan today!
