Week in Review: October 24, 2025

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

From ECOHH’s social media

• We’re asking the wrong questions about the housing crisis

• Too often governments proclaim policies and budgets for housing security matters but there is never any proper effort to see if anything actually happens. This paper proposes how this can change.

• Join the Social Housing and Human Rights (SHHR) Coalition for a webinar that explores the Finnish Housing First model (Nov 4, 20205). Finland’s commitment to social housing is the foundation of its successful Housing First approach. What can Canada learn from their policy approaches?

Relevant housing news 

• Cities declare housing emergencies, sparking debate over clearing homeless encamp

• For some low-income families in Edmonton, the wait for affordable housing lasts years

• Volunteers canvas city to estimate Edmonton’s homeless population

• Saskatoon City Council talks “Homeless Hub”

• How Canadians feel about clearing out homeless encampments

• Permanent fencing to border former homeless encampment site

• Saskatoon sees recurring homeless encampments despite cleanup efforts 

• ‘Surviving, not thriving’: Montreal nurse stuck in social housing despite full-time job

• Quebec housing groups worry about new plans for how rent increases are calculated

• Not all island communities provide winter homeless shelters - why not?

• Vancouver council rejects plan for new city-owned for-profit housing

• Average housing price must fall to fix ‘crisis,’ federal minister says

• 'Need is so great,' says co-ordinator of program that fills backpacks for homeless Winnipeggers

• Is housing the new First Nation-building project?

• Affordable housing in Edmonton

• Housing solutions from across the pond we spoke with the CEO of Connections for Seniors about what he learned about housing and homelessness on a study tour in Europe.

• Northern Ontario not-for-profit says jail, court system can’t handle police crackdown on open drug use

• What it takes to give unhoused people more services — beyond downtown Montreal

• CMHC "Missing Middle” housing report shows middle housing still missing

• Dalhousie Legal Aid says tenants' right to housing under threat in N.S.

• City of Prince George, B.C., begins shutdown of long-standing homeless camp site

• Fire at Yellowknife encampment ‘preventable,’ lawyer says

• New Yellowknife transitional housing may not open before December

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