On The Way Home: Recent Episodes
On The Way Home
On the Way Home is a podcast that brings together the voices and issues involved in ending homelessness in Canada.
This week on the pod, we are joined by lived expert Kenn Bell who shares his life and housing journey with us from childhood to the present. He talks about how a family health challenge pushed the family out of their home, the challenges they faced, and how he’s always found a way to give back now matter where he was in his cross country travels. Its an inspiring, hopeful and beautiful conversation, and one you won’t want to miss
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Indwell- 50 years of building and providing affordable housing that transforms lives” – “This week on the pod we are joined by Indwell CEO Jeff Neven to talk about the inspiring and incredible work Indwell continues to lead in the affordable housing space. We touch on the history of Indwell, what makes Indwell unique in the space, some of the projects they’ve done, the partnerships they’ve made, what they are working on now, and what has to happen in the future in order to create the affordable housing our country desperately needs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on the podcast we talked to lived expert, Al Wiebe, who shares his story of going from earning a six figure salary to living on the streets, the lessons he learned, and how he’s since taken that experience forward to change things for the better through his radio show, training police officers and healthcare professionals, and through many conversations with politicians and housing professionals
We need tangible solutions to end the homelessness and housing crisis in Canada, and the recently released National Housing Accord is just that. Today I’m joined by Tim Richter, CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness and Michael Moffat Chief Executive at REALPAC to talk about how the accord came together, what it’s all about, their hopes for the future and how we all can support the accord moving forward
This week on the pod we have Frank Berube from CMHC a on to chat with us about the new Housing Accelerator Fund. We’ll chat about how it came about and what the hopes are for it moving forward. Take a listen!
Migrant farmers play a huge role in feeding the country, yet when it comes to providing them with housing, decency and dignity are nowhere to be found. Advocate and lived expert, Gabriel Allahdua, joins us on this week’s pod to share his experience and to chat with us about why he’s working hard to make sure migrant farmers can realize their right to dignified and acceptable housing and care.
Trigger warning** “The 2SLGBTQ+ community continues to be overrepresented in point-in-time counts across the nation that examine who might be experiencing homelessness. Although great strides have been made in creating awareness and recognizing the rights of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, recent events across Canada and the world have shown us, we still have far to go. This week on the podcast we are joined by Brian Middleton and Carl McLuhan, two retired teachers who have been together for almost 50 years, as we look back at their journey from coming out, to meeting, to keeping their relationship a secret for fear of losing their jobs, to why they’ve made a decision to make a gift to Blue Door’s 2SLGBTQ+ program, “Inclusion” in their will. A fascinating and moving discussion you won’t want to miss”
“Although there has been progress in creating awareness, education and support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community, over the last few years the community has been subject to increased amounts of hate and harassment across the US and Canada. Advocate and CEO and Principal Consultant at Ivy + Dean Consulting, Jacq Brasseur joins us on the pod to share their journey to advocacy, the current climate of push back, and what needs to change moving forward.”
We can’t really have the conversation about ending homelessness if we don’t look at income supports for our most vulnerable. Lee Stevens from Vibrant Communities Calgary joins me on the pod this week to talk about basic income, her research around it and her hopes for the future of income support in Canada.
This week I'm joined by two amazing and knowledgeable American advocates and researchers in Mallory VanMeeter and Jacqueline White. We chat about the importance of Family and Natural Supports in preventing youth homelessness and their recent collaboration on a report callled "Strengthening the Village." An eye opening conversation on youth homelessness you won't want to miss
Chef Cori Doern has worked tirelessly over the years to create equal access to good food through sharing knowledge about cooking, food, nutrition, and how to stretch your food dollar way further. With food insecurity at an all-time high, we talk about what drives her to create access to good food, how she’s done it and what has to change moving forward. You don’t want to miss it
How is homelessness being approached in New York City? We talk to the CEO of City Relief, Josiah Haken this week on the pod, around what homelessness looks like in NYC post pandemic, what strategies are being used to prevent and end it, and what has to happen in the near future to support their most vulnerable
This week we are joined by Gary Gladstone from Reena as we chat about how although many people experiencing homelessness have disabilities, funding remains elusive to meet their housing and support needs. We talk about the amazing work Reena has done to support adults with disabilities over the last 50 years and what will happen to put us on a better path.
Housing is on everyone’s mind these days, and the top issue in Toronto, Canada’s largest city’s upcoming Mayoral election. This week on the pod, we bring together four amazing experts and ask the question, “If you were the Mayor, what would your housing platform be?”. You don’t want to miss it as John Fox, Une Underwood, Diana Chan McNally and Andrew McKenzie join me for a thought-provoking and entertaining conversation.
This week on the On The Way Home podcast, we are joined by best-selling author Jesse Thistle. We talk about his new book of love poems, Scars and Stars, his new experience of being a Father, and much, much more. You don’t want to miss it!
Thank you to this week’s sponsor, Ellis Don!
We can’t end homelessness if we don’t prevent it from happening in the first place. Justin Sage-Passant and his team at Covenant House Toronto not only understand this, but are taking huge strides in preventing young people from experiencing homelessness. He joins us on the podcast to discuss their new prevention initiatives, Diversion, Youth Reconnect and Family and Natural supports, and the difference they are making in the Toronto youth homelessness space.
Thank you to EllisDon for sponsoring this week’s podcast.
This week we are joined by David DesBaillets, a postdoctoral scholar at the Human Rights Research and Education Centre and The Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative. He is published regarding issues such as housing rights, housing policy, homelessness and socio-economic rights in Canada and the world. On this episode, we discuss the “Right to Housing”, what it means, what it doesn’t, and how that right was challenged frequently throughout the pandemic. A wide-ranging and fun conversation with a brilliant researcher that you won’t want to miss!
This week, we are joined by Dr. Cynthia Puddu a faculty member from MacEwan University and Cheyanne Greyeyes, a Research Assistant working on research around Decolonizing transitions from care. Join us this week, as we discuss the importance of connecting Indigenous youth to their culture, the challenges of conducting research during the pandemic, and a brilliant multi-generational housing program connecting Indigenous Elders and Youth. This and much, much more, on this episode of On The Way Home.
The guest for this week’s podcast is Samantha Blondeau. Samantha is currently a MA Criminology Student at Ontario Tech University focused on researching homelessness, policy, and the criminalization of homelessness. In this episode, we will be speaking about the popular coined term ‘squeegee kids’ as well as her own experiences with homelessness.
This week we are joined by guests Dr. Naomi Thulien and Mardi Daley. Naomi is a nurse practitioner and researcher working to eliminate the cycle of youth homelessness. In 2021, Naomi and her husband opened the Breakwater Foundation, a non-profit organization providing education, rent subsidies and healthcare to young women experiencing homelessness. Mardi is a Toronto-based advisor, facilitator, and certified Peer Specialist supporting youth experiencing homelessness and mental health issues. Working through lived experiences, Mardi takes a community- based approach to support by-youth-for-youth resources, training, inclusion and engagement. Join Michael, Naomi and Mardi this week to discuss their presentation at CAEH’s National Conference on Ending Homelessness and the Transitioning out of Youth Homelessness clinical trial.
This week we welcome back Abe Oudshoorn, an Associate Director and Professor at Western University’s School of Nursing as well as the Arthur Labatt Family Chair in Nursing Leadership in Health Equity. Listen in, as Michael speaks to Abe about his upcoming presentation at CAEH’s National Conference on Ending Homelessness where he’ll share results from a Canadian national survey exploring the current state of communities taking (or not taking) a gender- based approach to ending homelessness.
Our guest this week is Iain De Jong. Iain is the President and CEO of OrgCode Consulting Inc. and is the author of The Book on Ending Homelessness. He has been involved in helping those who experience homelessness since the 1990s and has worked in many positions to aid in ending homelessness such as: National Alliance to End Homelessness, Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, and the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness. This week Iain and Michael will be discussing encampments, the tension that surrounds them and the impact on encampments during the COVID -19 pandemic.
The guest on our podcast this week is Dr. Howard Koh, MD, MPH | Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of Practice of Public Health Leadership, Health Policy and Management, Harvard University. From 2009-2014 Dr. Koh served as the Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Obama, and as Commissioner of Public Health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This week we will be touching on topics such as the housing crisis in North America and what role academia plays in preventing and ending homelessness.
Sarah Canham, PhD, FGSA is an Associate Professor at the University of Utah. Dr. Canham uses a social justice lens to approach her community-based research. She works with clinicians, network providers and people who have lived experiences with homelessness, housing security, health, social service delivery and aging. Join us this week as we discuss Dr. Canham’s work about aging well in different types of environments.
Thank you to the sponsor for this week's video, the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.
This week, we are joined by Matthew Barker, a reporter whose beat is housing and homelessness. Using his own lived experiences and the issues he reports on, his aim is to open people’s eyes to the massive issues facing so many Canadians, such as homelessness/housing and addictions.
This week we are joined by Matthew Downie, who is the Chief Executive at Crisis in the U.K. Matthew stopped by the podcast to speak about the homelessness in Scotland, Wales and Liverpool and the National Transformations Plans created to reduce and eliminate homelessness in the U.K. Visit www.onthewayhome.ca for all previous episodes in the series.
This week we are joined by Kellie Chin, an architect employed at WORKSHOP. We will be discussing the need for affordable housing in the GTA, the shift from congregate-style
emergency housing to single room occupancy transitional housing and the connection between design, health, and dignity in affordable housing.
This week we are joined by Kellie Chin, an architect employed at WORKSHOP. We will be discussing the need for affordable housing in the GTA, the shift from congregate-style
emergency housing to single room occupancy transitional housing and the connection between design, health, and dignity in affordable housing.
Our sector like many have been finding it hard to recruit and keep the talented people we need to continue to make big changes happen in housing, health and homelessness. This week we are joined by Ellery Rosin, who is the People Operations Manager at Foodshare Toronto to talk about some of the truly innovative and inspiring steps they have taken to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive workspace, why paying a living wage is so important, and much, much more! You don’t want to miss it!
Our sector like many have been finding it hard to recruit and keep the talented people we need to continue to make big changes happen in housing, health and homelessness. This week we are joined by Ellery Rosin, who is the People Operations Manager at Foodshare Toronto to talk about some of the truly innovative and inspiring steps they have taken to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive workspace, why paying a living wage is so important, and much, much more! You don’t want to miss it!
This week we talk all about Social Purpose Real estate and it’s role in helping to end the affordable housing crisis we face with our amazing guest, Eric Phillip, the Director of Real Estate and Property Management at Dixon Hall.
This week we talk all about Social Purpose Real estate and it’s role in helping to end the affordable housing crisis we face with our amazing guest, Eric Phillip, the Director of Real Estate and Property Management at Dixon Hall.
This week on the On The Way Home podcast, we are joined by the brilliant Matti Siemiatycki, the Director of the Infrastructure Institute and Professor of Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto as we discuss the trends and opportunities in creative mixed use buildings that blend public, private and non-profit services, the importance of good policy in developing infrastructure in a city, and what has to happen in a city like Toronto to move forward with affordable housing and to stop or slow the housing crisis.
This week on the On The Way Home podcast, we are joined by the brilliant Matti Siemiatycki, the Director of the Infrastructure Institute and Professor of Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto as we discuss the trends and opportunities in creative mixed use buildings that blend public, private and non-profit services, the importance of good policy in developing infrastructure in a city, and what has to happen in a city like Toronto to move forward with affordable housing and to stop or slow the housing crisis.
The amazing and brilliant Dr. Antoine Lovell joins us on this week’s episode of On The Way Home to share his own experience of homelessness on the subways of New York City, the importance of having the voices of lived experience at the table when developing policy, the intersection of race, racism and homelessness, and the incredible new research he is heading up as the recipient of the prestigious William T. Grant Foundation grant.
Born during the pandemic, End Homelessness St. John’s is doing incredible work on the east coast, including a dramatic reduction in shelter stayers who are chronically homeless. Executive Director, Doug Pawson joins us on the On The Way Home podcast to talk about this incredible work as well as many other initiatives they are doing in the battle to end homelessness
Born during the pandemic, End Homelessness St. John’s is doing incredible work on the east coast, including a dramatic reduction in shelter stayers who are chronically homeless. Executive Director, Doug Pawson joins us on the On The Way Home podcast to talk about this incredible work as well as many other initiatives they are doing in the battle to end homelessness
How did St. Thomas-Elgin, a Built for Zero community reduce chronic homelessness by 25%? Find out on this week’s On The Way Home podcast as we are joined by Danielle Neilson the Supervisor of Housing Programs and Homelessness Prevention for St. Thomas-Elgin. You don’t want to miss it!
This week on the OTWH podcast we talk about the intersection between justice and homelessness as we are joined by expert Safiyah Husein from the John Howard Society of Ontario.
For so many experiencing homelessness, income security plays a large part. Join us this week on the On The Way Home podcast as we are joined by Maytree’s Garima Talwar Kapoor to talk about their recently released Social Assistance report, and the need for impactful changes moving forward.
This episode is made possible by CAEH.
This week on the On The Way Home podcast, we are joined by Kaitlin Schwan, Katlia Lafferty and Khulud Baig to talk about the two Human Rights Claims that were submitted on June 14th to the National Housing Advocate, the “Crisis Ends with Us” from the Women’s Network and the other, “Homeless on Homelands” from the National Indigenous Feminist Housing Working Group. An important and powerful conversation you don’t want to miss!
Both a lived expert and expert in his field of recovery, Dr. Robb Kelly takes a different approach to addiction, focusing on the cause of addiction and not the symptoms. He joins us on this week’s podcast to share his story of homelessness and recovery and as well his thoughts around both the causes and solutions to the opioid crisis we are facing in North America.
Is it possible to provide longer term affordable housing while at the same time helping individuals and families build equity? Join us on the OTWH podcast this week as we discuss the “Dwell” program which looks to provide deeply affordable housing while helping people build equity for a brighter future. We are joined by the power team of Adrienne Pacini at SHS, Joshua Benard at Habitat GTA and Emmy Kelly from Blue Door, who designed Dwell through the CMHC Innovation Lab program.
We’ve heard time and time again that innovation and action are critical if we are to move the needle on ending homelessness in Canada. This week on the podcast, we are joined by the incredible Deirdre Freigheit, the CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope in Ottawa, who has taken innovation and action to new levels in supporting the city’s most vulnerable. From new housing projects to innovative health care for those most in need, Deirdre and her team are leading the way. Give it a listen and get ready to learn!
One of the most over represented communities experiencing homelessness across North America, are youth who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ . While the research points to a need for specialized housing programs for these youth, many organizations have stepped up their programming to meet this need. This week we are joined by Alex Cheng from Blue Door and Alyssa from Trellis, two organizations who have developed innovative and responsive housing programs for 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
During the pandemic there has been a rapid increase in the number of encampments across North America. In Calgary, the Calgary Drop In took a different approach to supporting individuals in a local encampment, and this week we are joined by Kevin Webb, the Director of Emergency Shelter and Housing at the DI for a great chat about the process, the successes and the learnings from the process.
On this week’s episode of the podcast we are joined by Julia Markovich, Acting Advisor, Research at CMHC, who’s focus is on research and public dialogue as vehicles to solve problems. Julia talk to us about some amazing and important work she has done in regards to Evictions with Seniors and Older Adults - looking at how the research was conducted, the impacts, as well as some of her most surprising findings. This is an aspect of homelessness that is often overlooked a deeply important in understanding the issue as homelessness impacts people from all corners of our community
This week we have very special guest as we are joined by Canada’s first Federal Housing Advocate, Marie-Josée Houle, as she starts her three-year term in this very critical appointment. She shares with the podcast how the job allows her to request reviews of systemic housing issues, make public recommendations to the federal minister on policy and programs, and to hold the federal government to account on its stated sentiment that adequate housing is a fundamental human right. She is brilliant, funny, and passionate and you won’t want to miss it!
This week we are joined by Peter McMillan, Executive Officer at NT Shelter in Australia, who paints a picture of what homelessness looks like in the Northern Territory of Australia as well as the efforts that are being made to help end homelessness in the country.
Join us on On The Way Home for a special podcast around the #Vote4Housing campaign as we chat with Marlene Coffey from ONPHA and Tim Ross from CHF Canada to learn what the campaign is all about, why it’s so important, and how we all can get involved
This week we have Dr. Paul Kershaw, a tenured professor at the University of BC, public speaker, regular media contributor and Founder of Generation Squeeze. Paul talks to us about the state of housing in Canada and his organization Generation Squeeze – a force for intergenerational fairness, to improve Canada's wellbeing, powered by the voices of younger Canadians and those who love them -- all backed by cutting-edge research.
This week we are joined by Margo Schulte Long President and CEO of Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS) in Edmonton, and Carola Cunningham, Carola Cunningham, CEO of Niginan Housing Ventures. Together they talk about the work and progress of Edmonton’s
Coordinated Youth Response that was started by a group of agencies in Edmonton to better help youth during the pandemic to launch a coordinated effort to improve the way they provide services to youth.
This week on the podcast, Jordan Press, a reporter at the Canadian Press, talks to us about his extensive career covering housing on parliament hill, his thoughts on the latest federal budget around housing, and what he believes to be the greatest advances in the fight to end homelessness from a governmental perspective.
This week we are joined by John Neufeld, who speaks to us about House of Friendship, an organization that supports vulnerable individuals in accessing vital services like, food, housing and addiction services. John also talked to us about the Shelter Care program, the only one of its kind, specifically aimed at providing access to healthcare for those experiencing homelessness in Waterloo Region.
This week on the podcast, we’re joined by Amanda Katz, Executive Director of Homeless Cars, who talks to us about her unique organization that uses funds from scrap vehicles to eliminate homelessness in your community.
There are thousands of vacant homes that can be used for truly affordable housing in Canada. This week, Marc Soberano the Executive Director of Raising the Roof joins us to talk about “Reside”, a program that repurposes vacant homes to create long term affordable housing, and employment opportunities in the trades helping to prevent homelessness.
On this week’s episode of OTWH, Kaite Burkholder Harris, the Executive Director at the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa, talks about renovictions, the rights of tenants, displacement, and how fewer tenant protections can lead to homelessness.
Here is the write up for this week’s guest, Mark Richardson from HousingNowTO.
Data plays a pivotal role in creating affordable housing. This week on the On The Way Home podcast, we are joined by Mark Richardson a volunteer at HousingNowTO, a pro-bono group of volunteers in Toronto who are leveraging data to improve Toronto’s delivery of new affordable housing.
While the pandemic has been hard on us all, it’s been so much harder on many of our vulnerable communities. On this weeks episode of OTWH, Internationally renowned researcher on 2SLGBQ+ issues Dr. Alex Abramovich joins us, along with CEO of 360kids, Clovis Grant and lived expert Jesse to talk about Dr. Alex’s recent research around how the Covid19 pandemic has impacted 2SLGBTQ+ youth across York Region.
On this week’s episode of OTWH, John Fox, Managing Partner at Robins Appleby LLP, who specialises in real estate development, social and affordable housing, and construction – talks about the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force Report and what it means for renters, home-buyers and builders in the province.
One of the best and biggest conferences on Housing and Homelessness is happening in April. Jake and Julie from CHRA join us to talk all about this year’s exciting speakers and topics you won’t want to miss
Instead of taking down an encampment, they made it a safe step toward permanent housing. Join us this week on this week’s episode where Jeff Willmer, Co-Founder of A Better Tent City, talks about how a small but mighty group of volunteers in Waterloo Region put together an amazing project supporting many of the community’s most vulnerable.
With a housing crisis in full swing, Canada needs new supports to work our way through these challenging times. Executive Director, Stéphane Corriveau, joins us on this week’s podcast to talk about TheCommunity Housing Transformation Centre and their innovative and different approach in working with housing organizations across the country to drive transformation, sustainability and growth in community housing.
On February 26th, thousands of Canadians will walk to raise awareness and funds to prevent and end homelessness in the Coldest Night of the Year event happening across the country. Join us on the podcast as Marj and Katie from two of the organizations participating, Blue Door and Choices for youth, chat with me about this year’s event.
This week we are joined by Mariana Gallo from Word Habitat, where we’ll talk about some of the amazing and innovative Word Habitat Award winners from 2021 and how you can enter the awards in 2022. You don’t want to miss it.
This week Scott MacAfee, the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council on Poverty joins us on On The Way Home to talk about who the council is, their important work, and the just released, “Understanding Systems: The 2021 Report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty
This week we are joined by the brilliant and passionate Isabel Cascante and Trisha Scantlebury from the United Way of Greater Toronto as we discuss their impactful and eye opening research report called “Vertical Legacy: The case for revitalizing the GTA’s aging rental tower communities.
This week we speak with Yasushi Ohki the Executive Director of the Green Violin Community Development Company. Join us as we chat with him about the business of fighting the system and pushing housing solutions into the gaps that can make a difference as well as looking at better ways of being a neighbour in an effort to melt the walls that separate people from housing. Take a listen!
Charly Ligety is the Director of The Housing Innovation Collaborative (“HICo”), an action-oriented non-profit housing research and development platform based in Los Angeles, CA. HICo highlights the next generation of construction, finance, and policy solutions to address the housing affordability crisis. His recent work on rapid shelter solutions has been featured in national press and published with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Dr. Alina Turner is the co-founder of HelpSeeker, a social enterprise focused on scaling systems innovation to accelerate social change across Canada. HelpSeeker uses machine learning, data science, and social innovation to help people access services that improve their lives. A researcher and entrepreneur, Alina led the implementation of Canada’s first Homelessness Management Information System and designed Calgary’s Housing First System of Care.
For the final episode of 2021, Meg, Michael and Stefania look back at our podcast's first year. Join us to hear our personal favourite moments, our hopes for the new year and what home means to us. A huge and warm thank you to everyone who have listened and supported us in our first year of On the Way Home. We can't wait to show you what we have planned for 2022!
The documentary Us and Them spans over 10 years following the lives of four people experiencing homelessness, including Karen who spent 20 years on Canada's streets. Karen is a long-time friend of the film's producer, co-writer and co-director, Krista. The two join us on the podcast this week to talk about their experiences and the documentary.v
Andrew Cowan joins us to talk about the National Housing Strategy Solutions Labs. He is a Senior Specialist on the Demonstrations and Excellence team in Innovation and Partnerships at CMHC and leads the administration of Solutions Labs, which provides housing stakeholders with funding and expert innovation lab consultants to help solve complex housing problems using innovation. This On the Way Home episode was brought to you by the good people at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
The Housing Supply Challenge is heading into round three in January 2022, the Northern Access Round: Supply Chain Solutions for Northern and Remote Housing. Building in the north is expensive and difficult. This challenge invites residents and professionals to submit ideas and solutions to improve Canada’s housing supply chain in northern and remote regions. Listen and learn more! This On the Way Home episode was brought to you by the good people at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Justine Levesque is a Research and Evaluation Officer at Hub Solutions, a social enterprise at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. She talks to us about a recent report she worked on, Understanding the Needs of Workers in the Homelessness Support Sector. Justine is passionate about using participatory research approaches to create collaborate spaces for people with lived experiences to be research partners and not simply research participants.
How big does a 3D printer have to be in order to produce a home? Why is 3D-printing housing slow to gain momentum in Canada? Could it play a role in ending homelessness? Explore the answers to these questions in our interview with Ed MacNab, CEO of 3D Printed Homes Corporation. He brings a broad base of experience in construction and the oil patch, electronics and IT, and various startups including a tech venture that grew to a market cap of over $600 million.
Dianne Himbeault is a professional planner with over 25 years of experience. She has been with CMHC for more than 10 years in a variety of roles and is currently an Outreach Specialist promoting the National Housing Strategy. We talk about the role communities play and the National Housing Co-Investment Fund. This On the Way Home episode was brought to you by the good people at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
The National Right to Housing Network is dedicated to the progressive realization of the right to housing in Canada, and its meaningful implementation. What does a realized right to housing in Canada look like and what barriers are standing in the way? Learn more about it by listening to this conversation with the network's Michèle Biss and Sahar Raza.
Melanie Redman is the co-founder, President & CEO of A Way Home Canada, a national coalition reimagining solutions to youth homelessness through transformations in policy, planning and practice. A Way Home Canada has inspired communities and countries around the world to adopt the A Way Home brand as a way to participate in a growing international movement for change. Melanie also leads the National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness in Canada.
Juha Kaakinen is Chief Executive of Y-Foundation, the biggest Finnish NGO providing housing for homeless people and social housing with a housing stock of 18,000 flats. He is internationally known as a passionate advocate of Housing First policy. Finland and Helsinki have made bold commitments to end all homelessness in the next few years, find out why Juha says they can and will make it happen.
The 2021 National Conference on Ending Homelessness, happening Nov. 3-4, will arm policy makers, funders, researchers, advocates, community leaders and front line workers with the inspiration, information, tools and training they need to end homelessness. October 28 is the last day to register and participate. Hear from Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness President & CEO, Tim Richter, to learn more about it and the exciting #PandemciHeroes video contest!
United Way Greater Toronto released two reports on social capital. The studies assess how much residents trust their neighbours and institutions; how extensive and satisfying their social connections are; how civically engaged they are; and how they feel about their safety and services. While the results are encouraging, social capital is inequitably distributed: those with lower incomes and less financial security face greater barriers. We hear from UWGT’s Christine Hill and Isabel Cascante.
Dr. Naheed Dosani is a palliative care physician who cares for homeless and vulnerably housed individuals with dignity and compassion, whether in a shelter or on the street. A transformative experience providing care to a Toronto homeless man at the end of his life motivated him to develop Palliative Education And Care for the Homeless (PEACH). The program provides community-based hospice palliative care to people regardless of their housing status or factors such as poverty or substance use.
The Housing Professionals Mentorsip Program is a CSAE award-winning program designed to provide education, mentorship, and networking opportunities for the housing leaders of today and tomorrow. It's designed to foster innovation and growth in the sector. Hear from Jacob Gorenkoff from the Canadian Housing & Renewal Association, and Mary Clarke from the Chartered Institute of Housing Canada.
Kaitlin Schwan and Khulud Baig from the Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network and authors of a new survey, The Pan-Canadian Women’s Housing and Homelessness Survey released Sept. 29, talk to us about the chilling results. This is the largest and first-ever national survey of women experiencing homelessness and housing need in Canada. The report includes key recommendations for governments to address the systemic barriers and issues facing this population.
Mumilaaq Qaqqaq (ᒧᒥᓛᖅ ᖃᖅᑲᖅ) is an Inuk woman and human rights defender. She was elected as an MP in 2019 but chose not to run again in the recent election. Originally from Baker Lake, Mumilaaq has worked with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., The Quality of Life Secretariat in the Government of Nunavut, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and Qulliq Energy Corporation among other organizations. She fights for adequate housing, clean water and food security in the North.
Five million people in Canada didn’t know if they were going to make rent on September 1. Housing affordability and renters’ rights are key election issues—how are federal party
promises faring compared to this country’s rental crisis? Hear from leading experts on affordability, evictions, and renter rights. This Is the final episode of our special election
series on housing and homelessness as voters
in Canada head to the polls.
This election is about housing. We are joined by rights and policy experts Garima Talwar Kapoor-Maytree, Justin Marchan- CHRA Indigenous Caucus, and Ricardo Tranjan-Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. They walk us through their analysis of federal party platform commitments on housing and homelessness. This is the fourth episode of our special election series on housing and homelessness as voters in Canada head to the polls.
We’re joined by experts Leilani Farha, Eric Weissman and Zain Velji who talk to us about campaigning during a pandemic, housing and policy issues voters should consider this
election. This is the third episode of our special election series on housing and homelessness as voters in Canada head to the
polls.
What are some of the key election issues for people experiencing homelessness and housing precarity? What do candidates and federal parties need to get right if they’re
going to solve homelessness if elected? Find out this episode and speak to folks with lived expertise. This is the second episode of our special election series on housing and
homelessness as voters in Canada head to the polls.
David Le Blanc is the Assistant Director for Stakeholder Mobilization at Elections Canada, where he has been working on reducing barriers to electoral participation for Canadians for many years. He talks to us about how people with no fixed address can vote in election 44. This episode is the first of our special election series on housing and homelessness as voters in Canada head to the polls.
Mike Lethby is the Executive Director of the Niagara Resource Service for Youth (The RAFT) a not-for profit agency in the Niagara region working with youth and their families. He shares why his focus has shifted to preventing homelessness, shelter diversion, and the impacts COVID-19 has had on the sector. Born and raised in Niagara, Mike worked in the local auto sector before graduating Brock University with an honours B.A. in Political Science and History. Mike also holds a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario.
Tom Cooper serves as Director of the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction - a collaborative organization formed to tackle the city's unacceptable levels of poverty. Through the roundtable's work, Tom has engaged governments at all levels to invest in poverty reduction initiatives and worked to give people experiencing poverty a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. He talks to us about his involvement in helping to establish Ontario's first basic income pilot.
Powered by The Home Depot Canada Foundation, TradeWorx is a collaboration of 10 successful Canadian employment social enterprises helping bridge systemic gaps and prevent youth homelessness. TradeWorx partners provide youth at-risk of homelessness with the skills training needed to secure a long-term well-paying career in the trades, resulting in the ability to afford/retain housing. Learn more from today’s guests: Emily Rowe, Sheldon Pollett, and Emmy Kelly!
The national non-partisan campaign “Vote Housing” is designed to engage and mobilize Canadians to pledge to Vote Housingin the upcoming federal election. The people-powered campaign wants to see solutions to the homelessness and housing crisis on the upcoming ballot. We're joined by Jeff Morrison, ED of the CHRA and Alex Nelson, who serves on the steering committees of both the Canadian Lived Experience Leadership Network and the Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network.
Dr. Andrew Boozary is a passionate and brilliant social advocate and a primary care physician and ED of Population Health and Social Medicine at the University Health Network. He is working to develop, evaluate and scale new models of healthcare delivery for patients with complex health and social needs. During this pandemic, Dr. Boozary also serves as co-lead of the Ontario Health Toronto Region COVID-19 Homelessness Response and is a member of the Canadian Medical Association's Post-Pandemic Expert Advisory Group.
Daniel McCulloch is a Lecturer in Criminology and Social Policy at The Open University (UK). His research has explored aspects of homelessness such as the ways in which people experiencing homelessness talk about their experiences, as well as the ways in which their lives are discussed in government policy. In addition to this, he has also carried out research which examines the experiences of Deaf prisoners in the UK, and studies exploring research methods in the social sciences.
Cheyanne Ratnam is passionate about equity and developing inclusive and accessible spaces and processes. She joins On the Way Home and talks about being a first voice advocate and the groundbreaking work she is doing with the Ontario government to meaningfully change the aging out process of youth in care. Cheyanne has dedicated much of her time and expertise in child welfare and homelessness. She is the Co-founder/Executive Lead of the Ontario Children’s Advancement Coalition. She serves on the Board of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, she’s a member of the Equity and Inclusion Council of the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, among many others.
Criminalizing people experiencing homelessness is a tragic reality that must end. Erin Dej is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University. She is a critical criminologist who has been doing research on homelessness for over a decade, focusing on how to create meaningful inclusion for people who have experienced homelessness, with the ultimate aim of preventing and ending homelessness in Canada. She recently published her first book, "A Complex Exile: Homelessness and Social Exclusion in Canada".
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) recently announced $2 million in funding for the National Housing Strategy Demonstrations Initiative, for a 2021 open call competition for Community Land Trusts and Land Assembly Solutions for Affordable Housing. Listen to CMHC's Ramya, Carlos and Anne-Marie tell us about how to successfully apply and receive between $100,000 to $250,000 for a project. This On the Way Home episode was brought to you by the good people at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Nick Gefucia is a lawyer and Vice President of Affordable Housing with EllisDon Capital where he provides leadership to EllisDon’s dedicated national affordable housing team, EllisDon Community Builders. Nick is an experienced project development professional having led the commercial and legal aspects in a multitude of infrastructure and real estate transactions across Canada. We talk to Nick about how Community Builders is delivering affordable housing to folks and the gaps they're trying to fill in the crisis.
Carole Saab is the CEO of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and a tireless champion for cities and communities--driving an ambitious vision for local government leadership in building a more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive Canada. We talk to her about local governments across the country getting more involved in the housing crisis and advocating for real solutions.
Let's talk about the Land Trust model! How can it help solve the housing affordability crisis? Hear from Melissa Estable, Manager of the Co-operative Housing Development with CHF Canada, and Joshua Bénard, VP of Real Estate Development with Habitat GTA and Board Member of Community Affordable Housing Solutions. Learn about Land Trusts as a solution and some amazing examples of where they're working!
Kasari Govender took office as B.C.’s first independent Human Rights Commissioner in 2019. We talk to her about the groundbreaking work she's doing as commissioner and her office's recent report on the grandmother's perspective, which is about disaggregating data collection. Her role is to lead the promotion and protection of human rights in British Columbia through the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner. Govender has devoted her life to promoting human rights as a lawyer and community builder in an effort to create a more equitable and just province.
Margaret Pfoh is Tsimshian from the Eagle Clan of the Gitga'at First Nation. She joined the non-profit housing sector 25 years ago and is the CEO of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association. She talks to us about AHMA as the first housing authority of its kind in Canada and how the model could be replicated across the country--delivering housing for Indigenous by Indigenous Peoples.
Reporting from the font lines of the drug poisoning crisis, Garth Mullins is a drug user activist and award-winning radio documentarian. He is host and executive producer of the Crackdown Podcast where drug users cover the drug war as war correspondents. This is Garth’s second overdose crisis. He used injection heroin for over a decade and is now on methadone. He is a member of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and is also a trade union organizer and musician.
Jen St. Denis is an award-winning journalist who's spent her career providing in-depth reporting on housing and city politics. Today, she is working with The Tyee, an independent news magazine based in Vancouver, BC, focusing her eye on the complex Downtown Eastside. Her investigative coverage has shed light on both the beauty and tragedy the community experiences, from grassroots advocacy to over-policing and gentrification. But unlike mainstream media, Jen also covers the unique culture and strong ties of this neighbourhood—the front lines of homelessness, the drug war, and Vancouver's affordable housing crisis.
Targeting housing experts and professionals, CMHC's Housing Supply Challenge aims to remove or reduce barriers that hinder housing supply. And there's $300 million in funding to be awarded over 5 years for those up for it. Hear from CMHC's Brigit and Sarah about how to stand out and apply. This On the Way Home episode was brought to you by the good people at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Sekani Dakelth is from the Tl'azt'en Nation and calls the Downtown Eastside home. She is passionate about trans rights, sex worker rights and harm reduction. Like many of her peers, Sekani knows firsthand how stigma around drug use acts as a barrier to accessing health care. She has worked as a vendor with Megaphone, a monthly magazine based in the Downtown Eastside and Victoria, BC, for years and officially joined the team in 2018 to help build the Speakers Bureau.
Lorraine Lam has spent the last decade hanging out and working with Sanctuary, a community in the heart of Toronto that seeks to particularly value individuals who live in the margins of society. These individuals often bear the brunt of the weight of systemic oppression, including homelessness, stigma, and more. Her friendships at Sanctuary have changed her life and her hope is for others to experience the same kind of transformational relationships.
In order to solve youth homelessness, young people experiencing it or aging out of the foster care system must sit at the table where solutions are being discussed and designed. Hear Nicholas Ridiculous share his lived experience and Michelle German, Vice President of Policy and Strategy at WoodGreen Community Services, talk about their critical new report, New Housing Models for Youth Transitioning Out of Care, a Solutions Lab Roadmap. As Nicholas notes, there are lots of reports but we must act to end youth homelessness!
David Ireland has been a housing advocate all his working life, from local authorities to government, to media and charities. Now he’s the Chief Executive of World Habitat based in the UK, whose vision is “a world where everyone has a safe and secure home in a successful community.” World Habitat recently released a report about how organizations across Europe worked together to save lives during the pandemic, and supported people’s journey out of homelessness.
Laural Raine is Director of Service Planning & Integrity at Shelter, Support and Housing Administration with the City of Toronto. Recently, the city released its shelter system data publicly to inform solutions to homelessness. The data is updated monthly, and the city is expanding on the data it collects. Hear more about why transparency and data are key pillars to end homelessness.
There is no denying that Dr. Jeffrey Turnbull is dedicated to serving people experiencing chronic homelessness after turning down a top job with a hospital in order to found Ottawa Inner City Health and work with people whose homelessness mean compounded complex health issues and a much shorter lifespan. Hear about lessons learned from COVID-19, challenges, and why housing is healthcare.
Mental Health Ambassador with the University of New Brunswick-Saint John and mentor, Tara O'Toole joins us this episode to talk about her journey out of homelessness and the power of mentorship, mental health support and prevention.
While the pandemic has been rough on everyone, it has had even more of an impact on people experiencing homelessness. Nick Falvo, a well known and respected Research Consultant, who started his career on the front line, joins us on the On The Way Home podcast to talk about his recent report on the long term impact of the Covid-19 Recession on homelessness in Canada.
She sings, acts, writes and is a fierce advocate for our country’s most vulnerable. Join us this week on ‘”On The Way Home”, as Canadian icon, Bif Naked shares her personal journey through the entertainment industry and how she works to continually use her platform to help and lift up those in need in our communities!
Bahar Shadpour joins us this episode to talk about the necessity of an evictions moratorium in Ontario as the pandemic rages on. She is the Communications and Public Affairs Specialist at the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, a specialty community legal clinic serving tenants and fighting for safe, adequate and affordable homes.
On the Way Home kicks off its inaugural podcast episode with Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson. From his personal motivation for ending homelessness to why he thinks we can do it, Mayor Iveson shares the necessary policy and decisions required to make it happen. Since 2009 Edmonton has housed over 12,000 people through Housing First.