18 / 36
1 8
20 1 6 WA I T I NG L I S T S S URV E Y R E POR T
Conclusion
21.
ONPHA,
Building a Stronger Rental Housing System
, 2015, p. 20
22.
ONPHA,
Big Problems Need Bold Solutions
, 2014, p. 8
With thousands of households continuing to
struggle to make ends meet across Ontario,
ONPHA welcomes the efforts from all
levels of government to modernize housing
assistance. As housing policy and programs
evolve, ONPHA will continue to advocate for
increased investment in non-profit housing
communities.
But while we appreciate local leadership and
service coordination, as we have noted in
the past, “you can’t coordinate your way out
of a supply problem”
21
. The Government of
Ontario’s recent changes will help update and
streamline housing assistance and delivery, but
an increased supply of affordable rental units
is still needed to meet the rising demand.
At the same time, it is important that we
take care of the affordable housing stock we
already have. Currently, the capital repair
backlog in non-profit and co-operative
housing is estimated at $2.6 billion across
Ontario
22
. As buildings continue to age, units
in disrepair will eventually become dangerous
and unfit for habitation. Rising land and
construction costs mean that it is much
more cost-effective to invest in the repair of
existing affordable rental housing than to build
new units.
Finally, we know that what gets measured
gets done. The Ontario Government has
committed to ending chronic homelessness
and increasing the number of people that are
stably housed. To reach these objectives, they
have committed to developing a data strategy
and performance indicators that will reflect
action on housing need and affordability. As
the level of government that sets the policy
framework for housing, the Province is the
natural body to gather and evaluate this data
from the 47 service managers that deliver
housing and homelessness programs.
It is crucial, though, that this data and analysis
be accessible to the public. Housing is an
issue that affects us all, and having access
to information on housing outcomes is key
to ensuring government transparency and
accountability. Since 2003, Ontarians have
accomplished a great deal when it comes
to getting affordable housing on the policy
agenda. Going forward, it’s up to all of us
to make sure it stays there, and gets the
investment that it deserves.