Week in Review: December 12, 2025

Here’s a roundup of housing news and issues that we noticed this week:

From ECOHH’s social media

• 5pm candle light vigil to honour community members whose lives ended in public spaces

• This paper proposes a tax model for stabilizing excessive and speculative growth in land prices so as to mitigate the financial obstacles to the acquisition of land, either developed or undeveloped, by CLTs.

• 2025: A Turning Point for Community Land Trusts

• December 10 is marked around the world as Human Rights Day. One of the least respected or understood rights is the right to adequate housing. This might be a good day to learn more about this important issue, the denial of which costs so many unnecessary deaths, so much unnecessary suffering and deprivation. Housing security is the foundation on which we can create our homes. And maybe a good day to send a note to Premier Danielle Smith supporting Alberta amending our own human rights legislation to provide protection on this issue.

• Left outside on a cold winter night waiting to get services at the Hope Mission. If he can’t get in he walks around until 5am so he can get on a bus to keep warm.

• Enjoy a short video from ECOHH's National Housing Day event November 22

• Showcasing how community-led action can reclaim dilapidated and vacant stock, using participatory strategies to rehabilitate public/social and rental housing without displacement.

• Maybe time for an Edmonton community organization to support such a project again? Our Voice provided this for several years in the 1990s. Homeless newsletter in Scotland 

• A bit of satirical news that reminds the financialization of housing continues to be a reason for unaffordability

• The Parliamentary Budget Office predicts the Build Canada Homes will make a very small contribution to address the huge need for housing in Canada

• Homelessness (which largely exists because of government policy) kills 

Relevant housing news 

• Edmonton’s zoning reforms, partnerships draw praise at housing symposium

• ‘Lives are at risk,' advocate says as Sask. social housing units sit empty

• Housing advocates not in favor of Vancouver’s rezoning plan for Downtown Eastside

• There are more apartments available for rent in Windsor — but experts say affordability is still a challenge

• Mobile outreach van in Brandon will help bring harm reduction services to people in need: advocates 

• To better respond to homeless encampments, municipalities need sustained federal funds: Report

• Ontario mayors urge province to declare state of emergency with homelessness, addiction

• Alberta scores B+ on housing policies and outcomes: report

• With nighttime lows of -27 C in forecast, Edmonton activates extreme weather response

• ‘When deaths happen, who will be accountable?’ London’s micro-shelter project for homeless Londoners faces tough questions

• ‘Affordable apartments are disappearing’: Rents in Montreal went up an all-time high in 2025, CMHC report shows

• Despite more rental units being available, many Canadians struggle with unaffordable rent

As always, we recommend checking out these sources for additional information on housing and homelessness

• Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) 

• Canadian Centre for Housing Rights

• Canadian Housing & Renewal Association (CHRA) 

• Federal Housing Advocate

• Homeless Hub (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness) 

• Homeward Trust 

• Housing Complex  

• Make the Shift   

• National Right to Housing Network (NRHN)  

• Social Housing & Human Rights (SHHR) 

• Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network