Guest: Toronto Star affordable housing reporter Victoria Gibson
Ontario is racing towards a snap election on Feb.27 and for a lot of voters, two issues loom well above the rest: housing and healthcare. Both are at breaking point, and both are dominating party platforms. As part of our pre-election coverage, we’re delving into these issues. Where do things really stand, are any of the candidates offering actual solutions, and what should you, the voters be thinking about as you head to the polls?
We talk housing on today’s episode. Millions of people in Ontario are struggling with a reality where housing is not just unaffordable; for many, it’s almost impossible. Rents are out of control, homeownership feels like a distant dream, subsidized housing waitlists are stretching into decades and homelessness numbers have shot up by 25 per cent since the last election. We keep hearing big promises about 1.5 million new homes, more affordable units, incentives for developers, but is any of it actually working?