Nowhere to go: Gender-based violence and housing insecurity in Ontario

This research advances our knowledge of the relationship between gender-based violence and housing insecurity in Ontario. It offers a view into how Ontario’s current housing affordability crisis is affecting survivors of violence. It presents policy recommendations for the municipal, provincial and federal governments. A social media toolkit is also available, including key messages, graphics and hashtags to encourage sharing the report and to support mobilization activities.

Read the final report

Project Scope and Outcomes

Finding a home for those experiencing gender-based violence and housing insecurity

As Ontario’s housing crisis deepens, a safe place to call home is out of reach for many survivors of gender-based violence. Those fleeing homes and other situations where they are experiencing violence encounter a housing market with costs that are often out of reach, discriminatory treatment from landlords and, in some instances, even further violence.

This research outlines policy recommendations to address housing insecurity and discrimination, mainly at the provincial and federal levels. The recommendations center around three pillars: affordability, services and supports.

Recommendations for action

The research recommends the following measures to address housing insecurity for those experiencing gender-based violence:

• Increase the supply of social housing
• Attach affordability requirements to funding for private sector developers
• Expand programs that preserve affordable housing
• Amend the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) to increase affordability
• Expand funding and criteria for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB)
• Create second-stage shelters in smaller communities
• Amend the Special Priority Policy (SPP) application process
• Introduce “safe at home” programming
• Increase accessible housing for survivors who have disabilities that require accessibility modifications, and therefore have fewer housing options in an unaffordable market
• Increase investments in “for Indigenous, by Indigenous” housing.

Next steps

Canada has recognized that access to safe and adequate housing is a human right. Different levels of government must work together to realize this right for survivors of gender-based violence. This research provides recommendations that can support these efforts.

Researchers also developed a media kit to help share the report and support the recommended actions. This includes a detailed plan for launch events, conferences and social media campaigns to reach community members, stakeholders and activists.

Read the final report