Designing and Implementing Rights-Based Strategies to Address Homelessness and Poverty in Ontario

Abstract

This paper builds on two previous works: 1) A Human Rights Context for Addressing Poverty and Homelessness (available on SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2467679) and 2) Constitutional Framework for Rights-Based Strategies to Address Homelessness and poverty as social Determinants of Health (Available on SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2469862).

The author assesses Ontario’s strategies to address poverty and homelessness from a human rights standpoint. Incorporating rights to housing and an adequate standard of living would make these strategies more effective at engaging a range of decisions and programs. A rights framework can ensure accountability on the part of the Ontario Government for meeting the targets set out in its poverty reduction and housing strategies, as well as claims resulting from discrete decisions affecting an individual’s housing and standard of living. Most importantly, a rights based strategy affirms and ensures that all decisions which have an effect on homelessness and access to housing are informed by, and consistent with, Ontario’s commitment to the right to adequate housing under international human rights law ratified by Canada. Rather than creating new obligations, a rights-based strategy based on international and constitutional rights merely implements existing obligations that are too often ignored.

Keywords: human rights, social rights, economic rights, constitution, law, Ontario, homelessness, poverty, rights-based, policy, housing