Housing waiting lists swell to more than 168,000 households

Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association releases annual Waiting Lists Survey Report

TORONTO, May 4, 2015 /CNW/ - There were 168,711 families, seniors, single adults and couples waiting for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing across Ontario in 2014, according to a report released today by the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA).

The latest figures reveal that there were 3,642 more households waiting for RGI housing in 2014 than in 2013. More than three per cent of all Ontario households have applied for housing. For the second year in a row, these households faced an average wait of nearly four years.

"The data show that we need a sustained investment in housing from senior government because local government can't do it alone," said ONPHA Executive Director Sharad Kerur. "Otherwise, we can expect the numbers to continue to increase despite the best efforts from municipalities."

"The cost of housing continues to rise across the province," added ONPHA President Keith Hambly. "More people are finding themselves caught in the housing crunch, which negatively impacts virtually every area of a person's life, and makes it nearly impossible for families to escape poverty."

This year's Waiting Lists Survey Report features stories of Ontarians who have struggled to find an affordable home. Their experiences offer insight into the compounding difficulties caused by insufficient housing, from health to employment opportunities, and reveal the depth of Ontario's current affordable housing crisis.

ONPHA has reported annually on the number of households waiting for RGI housing since 2004.

Quick facts about affordable housing in Ontario:

• All Ontarians would have a safe and secure home if the Province invested an additional one percent of their budget expenditures each year for a 10-year period, according to ONPHA's research.
• Investing in affordable housing makes good economic policy, according to a report by The Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis. For example, improving housing conditions for TCHC residents alone will save $3.8 billion in health costs.
• A person would need to earn $20.52 an hour to be able to afford the average rent of a one-bedroom apartment in Toronto. Click here to see much is needed to afford an average apartment in other cities.

ONPHA represents 760 non-profit housing organizations in Ontario. It provides education and support to its members, and advocates for government investment in affordable housing.

SOURCE Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA)

Media contact: John Wilson, Manager, Strategy and Advocacy, ONPHA, 416-927-9144 ext. 113 (office), [email protected]