Provinces must take lead in housing

In the last decade, housing conditions have deteriorated for many Canadians, and the relative dearth of affordable housing is raising alarms. Rental vacancy rates have reached staggering lows in many Canadian cities, spending on shelter has outpaced income growth, and energy costs continue to rise.  ... More

Housing report's cracks evident

The Saskatchewan government's recent Task Force on Housing Affordability report tackles an important topic, but it misses the underlying economics of housing. It erroneously implies that affordable housing is isolated from the rest of the market and that certain policies which have failed elsewhere will somehow work here.  ... More

Escaping the poverty trap: from public housing to home ownership

Public housing, in which those with no or very little income are provided with an apartment whose rent is heavily subsidized, is a feature of social welfare programming in all Canadian cities. ... More

Who is responsible for addressing urban social issues?

Which level of government is responsible for homeless, drug-addicted prostitutes? This sounds like the opening for a sick version of one of those lame jokes about the Canadian obsession for intergovernmental correctness. But, in fact, it is a very real conundrum, especially for policy-makers concerned with the vitality of our inner-city neighbourhoods. .... More