Publications, opinions, and speeches
Maytree publishes reports, backgrounders, briefs, opinions, and speeches to help inform decision-making and to engage in public discussions on social policy issues.
- For publications by the Caledon Institute of Social Policy, visit this page.
- For publications on immigration and diversity (published before 2013), visit this page.
Published on 30/11/2021
New federal leaders, including a minister for housing, could be the start of something good. Or, they could be merely symbolic. We need leaders to act on the affordable housing crisis at scale and with urgency.
On November 22, we marked National Housing Day, and this year we could point to progress. The prime minister has appointed a federal minister responsible for housing, and we expect to hear soon about the appointment of a Federal Housing Advocate. Will these two appointments make a difference? The answer is not obvious, yet. These […]
Published on 22/11/2021
Examining how the barriers obstructing access to justice for Black, Indigenous, and racialized people are found not only in the legal profession itself, but in the academic pipeline that produces its practitioners.
This conversation is part of our series, “Advancing justice,” which explores the relationship between human rights, poverty, racism, and the criminal justice system. Infusing inclusion and diversity into the legal ranks can help build underrepresented groups’ trust in the system. In this month’s contribution to “Advancing justice,” Maytree president Elizabeth McIsaac speaks to Dr. Tanya (Toni) […]
Published on 28/10/2021
Deputation to the City of Toronto’s Planning and Housing Committee on Proposed Inclusionary Zoning By-law Amendments.
I appreciate the opportunity to address the Committee on the proposed inclusionary zoning policy. Maytree has worked on affordable housing, and has been involved with the City on both the stakeholder and “expert” advisory groups, which we appreciate, and we’ve been able to observe and review the development of the policy. My basic observation is […]
Published on 28/10/2021
Local governments have a range of tools it can use to improve affordable housing. What we need now is for our leaders to pick up those tools and use them.
Toronto has a housing crisis. Our success in tackling this crisis will come down to leadership. The local government has a range of tools it can use to improve affordable housing. What we need now is for our leaders to pick up those tools and use them. The City can introduce zoning regulations that require […]
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Published on 28/10/2021
The proposed inclusionary zoning by-law amendments are “too low and too slow;” but it's a start. The by-law should be passed with some important changes.
Download the submission (PDF) Planning and Housing Committee consideration on October 28, 2021: Agenda Number: PH28.1 – Inclusionary Zoning Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Implementation Guidelines While the proposed inclusionary zoning by-law amendments are “too low and too slow” across market areas in Toronto, they represent a start to this policy. It […]
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Published on 25/10/2021
At 13, Tyrone was illegally stopped and searched. At 15, he was wrongfully incarcerated. At 25, he's overcoming his past and giving back to his community in Toronto.
This conversation is part of our series, “Advancing justice,” which explores the relationship between human rights, poverty, racism, and the criminal justice system. In this month’s contribution to “Advancing justice,” Maytree president Elizabeth McIsaac speaks to Tyrone, a 25-year-old man who grew up and still lives in Scarborough. In the conversation, Tyrone talks about how his […]
Published on 20/10/2021
This paper provides an overview of the Canada Workers Benefit: What is it? How does it work? What are its shortcomings, and how can we make it better?
Download the publication Working-age adults face the highest poverty rates in Canada, yet income supports available to them remain inadequate and do not address their economic realities. At the same time, governments at all levels have been reluctant to increase the level of support available to this group. While creating a new program to help […]
Published on 07/10/2021
Toronto’s mayor and council failed as leaders when they chose not to bring multi-tenant houses (or “rooming houses”) under city-wide regulation.
On Monday, Toronto’s mayor and council failed as leaders when they chose not to act on multi-tenant houses, or “rooming houses” as many people call them. They failed to make rooming houses legal and to bring them under a city-wide set of regulations that would ensure the quality and capacity of these deeply affordable homes. They failed to ensure that the people living in them would have access to […]
Published on 28/09/2021
With re-election, the government gained the opportunity to build on the foundations it has been laying over its last two terms. Now, it can focus on what matters: affordable housing, eliminating poverty, and ensuring each person can live with dignity.
This Maytree opinion is part of our series, “A life with dignity: Towards economic and social rights for all.” Each month, we will explore how our collective choices are bringing us closer to – or keeping us from – what we need for every person in Canada to live with dignity. Sometimes elections are about […]