In 2019, the Canadian government recognized housing as a fundamental human right through the National Housing Strategy Act; however, in the years that have followed, housing affordability has only worsened for low- to moderate-income households. While this Act requires the federal government to address homelessness and core housing need, Canadian housing policies continue to benefit primarily those seeking profit and returns on investment.

In this second episode, host Sarah Rowe is joined by lawyer Michèle Biss, Executive Director of the National Right to Housing Network, and political economist Ricardo Tranjan, senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Together, they discuss the impact of financialization and the importance of implementing both social housing and rent controls to ensure that our housing system protects the most vulnerable.

Guest

• Michèle Biss, Executive Director, National Right to Housing Network
• Ricardo Tranjan, Ph.D., Senior Researcher, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Host

• Sarah Rowe, Legal Counsel, Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ)

SERIES OVERVIEW Left Out in the Cold A podcast series from CIAJ's In All Fairness channel

Over the past several years, housing has emerged as a hot-button issue in Canadian discourse. How is affordability defined? Why are Indigenous peoples more likely to lack adequate housing? Is housing policy adequately addressing accessibility needs?

Left Out in the Cold aims to answer these and other questions over the course of this series. Hosted by Sarah Rowe, Legal Counsel at CIAJ, this series features conversations with legal and policy experts and community advocates on issues facing the Canadian housing sector. Each episode balances conversations about high-level legislative frameworks with the on-the-ground realities of everyday Canadians. Join us in these conversations as we try to root out the causes of housing insecurity in this country.

• Episode 1 | Left Out in the Cold – Barriers to Adequate Housing and How Indigenous Housing Organizations are Filling the Gaps (Guests: Justin Marchand & Margaret Pfoh)
• Episode 2 | Left Out in the Cold – Advancing the Right to Housing while Financialization Pulls the Strings (Guests: Michèle Biss & Ricardo Tranjan)