Prosper Canada is pleased to have joined the Affordability Action Council (AAC), a collaboration of diverse policy experts and community leaders that have come together to develop an initial package of “all-in” solutions that could be adopted immediately by our federal government to meet Canadians’ basic needs – shelter, food, transportation and a livable climate – in a more integrated way. Affordability and climate are compounding, overlapping crises—and people are struggling through them both right now. On November 14, 2023 Action Council launched two initial policy briefs that provide actionable solutions for making Canada’s homes more sustainable and more affordable — especially for people with lower incomes. Amid skyrocketing rents and housing prices, people in Canada are struggling to find and maintain homes they can afford. Retrofit Reset: Prioritize Low-Income Households Recommendation: The federal government should establish a new free retrofit program – with heat pumps and other home upgrades — targeted to low-income Canadians, aimed at making about 100,000 homes a year more affordable, energy efficient and climate resilient. There is a gap in our climate policy right now – existing federal retrofit programs are not accessible to low-income Canadians. Low-income households are more likely to live in older, drafty homes without air conditioning, and less efficient homes make homeowners vulnerable to high energy costs and growing risks from a changing climate. Retrofit programs targeted to low-income Canadians can help make homes more affordable and resilient to a climate change.
Read the brief Affordable Housing Reboot: Bring Back Federal Leadership Recommendation: the federal government should aim to build one million rent-geared-to-income community homes by 2030 and reboot the not-for-profit and co-operative housing sector. To align with climate-change goals and provide lasting affordability, these homes should be built near public transit and meet net-zero and climate-resilient codes and standards. The federal government used to play a significant role in building subsidized community housing and financing a once-thriving not-for-profit housing sector. To solve the housing crisis, the federal government must reclaim its leadership position in the development of affordable and future-ready housing.
Read the brief In the coming months, AAC will release subsequent policy briefs focused on food and transportation. Learn more about the Affordability Action Council’s policy recommendations to help make housing for affordable and sustainable.