Good morning. My name is Marie‑Josée Houle.

My role as the federal housing advocate is to take systemic action to ensure that Canada honours the fundamental right to adequate housing. Consequently, I am here today in my role as part of a human rights accountability mechanism.

Thank you so much for the invitation. I'm here today to find solutions.

To end this housing crisis, federal investments must support non-market housing. Here's why. First, non-market housing is fundamental to upholding the right to housing; second, investing in non-market housing is the best use of public money; and finally, the federal government has an obligation to lead.

To start, non-market housing is key to upholding the fundamental human right to housing. Canada recognized the human right to housing in the 2019 National Housing Strategy Act. Today's systemic issues, such as unaffordability and encampments, happen because we don't treat housing as a human right and a public good. Our research estimates that Canada is short 4.4 million affordable homes. Disadvantaged groups are overrepresented in core housing need and homelessness.

This committee has heard a lot about supply and that supply is the answer, but it has to be the right supply, the supply that meets people's needs. The way forward is non-market housing—co-operative, non-profit, public and indigenous housing—that puts people and human rights first. Investing in non-market housing creates permanently affordable, accessible housing for a wide range of people. It protects tenants from unaffordable rent increases and arbitrary evictions. People have more money for food and medicine.

Non-market housing benefits everyone because it's non-inflationary. It protects the land and buildings from speculation. The federal government stopped investing in non-market housing over 30 years ago, and the result is that Canada's housing supply is driven by investors. Instead, we must prioritize non-market housing supply and people's right to housing.

Second, non-market housing is the best use of public money for public good.

The use of public funds to create unconditional incentives for the private sector isn't the solution. That doesn't mean that the private market doesn't have its place. However, every investment of public funds must generate a public good.

Non-market housing has proven that it remains affordable over the long term. According to a 2022 study, rents at co-ops stayed affordable over a period of nearly 20 years, ranging from 25% to 33% less than similar market-rent apartments in the same city. Meanwhile, our research shows that nearly 30% of private rental buildings have been acquired by institutional investors, resulting in steep rent increases and high eviction rates.

The non-market sector provides the accountability that governments need to effectively target their investments. It has data on how many homes they provide and what they cost. It accounts for government funding. It's governed by volunteer boards accountable to the community. In contrast, the private market offers little data on housing outcomes. There's a lack of transparency around ownership and financialization, and it's accountable to shareholders and to profits.

To ensure that public money is resulting in public good, we need better accountability for taxpayer money spent on housing. We need better data collection to measure long-term results. We need measurement not just of outputs of housing but of outcomes for people based on human rights. We need to prioritize non-market housing.

Finally, the federal government has an obligation to lead the way out of this housing crisis. I know you can do it.

Investing in a housing system that respects human rights is both a wise choice and a government obligation under international law and the National Housing Strategy Act.

The 2024 budget and Canada's housing plan provide for significant investments in non-market housing and an acquisition fund. To be effective, those investments must be viewed from a human rights perspective and sustained over the long term.

Canada must implement a short-term plan to double its non-market housing stock from the current 3.5% to 7%. We must aim higher. Our research shows that we need a long-term target of 20% of all units dedicated to non-market housing.

Lastly, it's not just about spending. We must support Canada's non-market sector. That means new approaches to financing, governance, capacity building and approvals so that non-market providers can scale up; embracing community land trusts so that public lands can be used for development by non-market providers; and legislative change so that non-market providers can leverage their assets to build and acquire more properties.

Federal investments must support a plan to grow non-market housing. When everyone in Canada has their right to housing upheld, Canada benefits, our economy benefits, communities benefit and people benefit.

Thank you very much.