Co-Creating the Right to Adequate Housing in Canada: Interim Report on What We Heard (thus far), and Letter with High-Level Recommendations to the Minister

The progressive realization of the right to adequate housing is one of the Council’s three priority areas for 2021-2022. Earlier this year, the Council published a literature review entitled: “Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Housing: A Literature Review.” This was an initial exploration of the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing, its application within a Canadian context, and the shared responsibilities of all levels of government.

Since the publication of this literature review, the Council commissioned SHS Consulting and the SHIFT Collaborative to run a Solutions Lab process to break down the complex issue of establishing a vision for and finding tangible recommendations towards progressively realizing the right to adequate housing in Canada. This work included engagements around the right to adequate housing within Canada. The first phase of engagements was conducted through surveys and focus groups, with people with lived experience of housing need and homelessness and organizations supporting them.

The result of this engagement is a report entitled Co-Creating the Right to Adequate Housing in Canada: Interim Report on What We Heard (thus far). In addition, based on what the Council identified as urgent priorities, the literature review, and these preliminary engagement findings, a letter with high-level recommendations to the Minister was developed.

With the recognition that additional engagement will be required to more fully understand the complexity of the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing in Canada, a second, more detailed report with recommendations will follow in 2023, after the entire Solutions Lab process has been completed. This additional work will include engaging with more people with lived experience of housing need and homelessness, human rights and housing experts and government officials.