On The Way Home

On The Way Home

By On The Way HomeSociety & CultureHealth & FitnessMental HealthGovernmentPersonal Journals
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On The Way Home episodes

  • From Policy to Practice: Building Affordable Housing at the Municipal Level with Jessica DeVreeze
    In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly speaks with Jessica DeVreeze, Affordable Housing Team Leader with the City of Airdrie, about what it takes to move affordable housing from policy discussions into real implementation on the ground. Jessica reflects on her journey from policy strategy in Calgary to leading municipal housing initiatives, sharing what surprised her most about the realities of delivery and collaboration. She discusses the role municipalities play in advancing housing through land use, partnerships, and policy tools, explores the biggest barriers cities face today, and highlights lessons Canadian communities can learn from global and multicultural perspectives. Jessica also shares what gives her hope and what she believes must happen now to build more inclusive, affordable communities in the years ahead.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min
  • From Survival to Stability: Jason Miles on Home, Recovery, and Hope
    In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly speaks with Jason Miles, a lived expert who shares his powerful journey from chronic homelessness and addiction to stability through supportive housing at Dunn House. Jason reflects on what life was like before having a home, the challenges of navigating cycles of instability, and what it feels like to finally have a place of safety and belonging. He discusses the role that supportive housing, community, and health services played in his recovery and wellness, and shares where he is today and his plans for the future. Drawing from lived experience, Jason offers insights for decision-makers about what works, helps listeners better understand the realities of homelessness, and shares his hopes for the future of supportive housing for others seeking a path out of instability.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  • Centering Youth Voice and Reconciliation with Bailey Waukey
    In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly speaks with Bailey Waukey, Strategic Advisor for Youth Engagement and First Nations Relations, about the power of youth voice, collaboration, and reconciliation in shaping better housing outcomes for Indigenous young people. Bailey shares his journey into youth reconciliation and strategy development, explains how he helps organizations design responses using their existing strengths, and reflects on why collaboration is often challenging and how it can be done with care and intention. He discusses the development of the Indigenous Youth Housing Strategy, what mattered most to youth in shaping it, and why the next phase of pilot funding is critical. Bailey also explores what meaningful reconciliation looks like in housing systems and offers practical guidance for organizations seeking to create stronger, more inclusive outcomes for Indigenous youth.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min
  • Thinking Beyond the Market with Brian Doucet
    In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly speaks with Brian Doucet about why solving the housing crisis requires more than simply building more market housing. Drawing from his research and his film Thinking Beyond the Market, Brian explains what non-market housing means in practice, why preserving existing affordable homes is as critical as creating new supply, and what Canada can do right now. He explores how displacement affects real families and communities, why housing cannot be separated from transportation and city planning, and highlights examples of solutions already working across Canada. Brian leaves listeners with practical ways governments, communities, and individuals can help push toward a more inclusive and genuinely affordable housing system.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr 4 min
  • Designing Better Systems for Better Service with Michelle Parisien
    In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly speaks with Michelle Parisien, Director of Tenant Experience Operations at Ottawa Community Housing, about how thoughtful system design drives stronger tenant outcomes and healthier frontline teams. Michelle explains why service delivery models matter more than structure and organizational charts, how Lean principles can be applied in a people-centered public service environment, and how leaders can balance consistency with flexibility in complex housing systems. She shares real examples of how redesigning systems can outperform individual effort, reflects on preventing burnout while improving service quality, and offers practical guidance for leaders seeking to move from reactive mode toward continuous improvement and shared accountability.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min
  • Meeting Young People Where They Are with Mark Aston
    In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly sits with Mark Aston, CEO of Covenant House Toronto, to talk about youth homelessness in Toronto and what it truly takes to respond with care and hope. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, Mark shares why youth homelessness is fundamentally different from adult homelessness, what young people need to rebuild their lives, and where systems still fall short. Grounded in respect, compassion, and unconditional support, this conversation is a powerful reminder that listening to our young people and meeting them where they are can change lives and help create real pathways home.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    46 min
  • Postcards From Helsinki: What Canada Can Learn About Ending Homelessness

    What happens when Canadian housing leaders step inside a system that has effectively ended chronic homelessness? In this episode of On the Way Home, Mohamed Abdallah and Carolina Ibarra share reflections from the 2025 Helsinki Study Tour, exploring Finland’s coordinated Housing First approach, integrated supportive services, and long-term political commitment to housing as infrastructure. Through personal moments, policy insights, and practical observations, the conversation examines what truly sets Finland apart, and what lessons are most transferable to the Canadian context as we work toward more coordinated, humane, and effective housing systems.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  • Scaling Care Without Losing the Human Touch with Alain Cadieux

    What does tenant experience really mean when you’re responsible for more than 30,000 people? In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly sits down with Alain Cadieux, Vice President of Tenant Experience and Quality Assurance at Ottawa Community Housing, to explore how large housing systems can deliver consistent, high-quality, human-centred services at scale. Alain shares how responsible technology and artificial intelligence are reducing administrative burden for staff, improving service quality for tenants, and helping housing systems shift from reactive to proactive, while staying grounded in the human connection at the heart of housing. Here is the link to the report Alain shares will be helpful to listeners who are interested. View here


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  • Towards Housing Justice: A Conversation with Dr. Prentiss Dantzler
    Dr. Prentiss Dantzler is Associate Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of the Housing Justice Lab at the University of Toronto, whose research and advocacy explore the deep structural forces shaping neighbourhood change, racial discrimination, and housing inequity across North America. Dr. Dantzler traces his journey into housing justice, examines how homeownership has evolved into a powerful cultural ethos tied to wealth and mobility, and explains the consequences of relying on asset-based welfare systems. He discusses how discrimination continues to appear in contemporary housing markets, the uneven impacts of displacement on low-income and racialized communities, and the ways residents are reclaiming space through community organizing. He also shares the structural shifts needed to move toward true housing justice and reflects on what gives him hope as the movement grows across cities.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min
  • Housing Is Health: What Dunn House Teaches Us About Upstream Care with Dr. Andrew Boozary
    In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly sits down with physician and health-policy leader Andrew Boozary to explore what it looks like when housing is treated not as a social add-on, but as a core health-care intervention. Through the lens of Dunn House, a groundbreaking model built on land donated by the University Health Network and led in partnership with Fred Victor and a broad team of community, housing, and health providers, the conversation examines shifting care upstream, measuring outcomes beyond traditional clinical metrics, and designing integrated systems that respond to the real drivers of health. With compelling data, lived experience, and deep credit to the frontline teams who made it possible, this episode offers a clear and hopeful case for why housing and health must be treated as one system, and why models like Dunn House and housing are the future Canada must now scale.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min

About On The Way Home

From the publisher's feed

On the Way Home is a podcast that brings together the voices and issues involved in ending homelessness in Canada.

Hosted on Acast. See