RentSafe

Unfit conditions in housing, disproportionately experienced by people living on low income or in other marginalizing circumstances, negatively affect physical and mental health. Multiple chronic diseases and acute effects – including asthma, respiratory conditions, allergies, chemical sensitivities, as well as cardiovascular disease and its numerous risk factors – can be exacerbated or, in some cases caused, by poverty, stress, and living in unhealthy conditions (see RentSafe report on Housing-Related Health Risks). [1]

Over 1.4 million people in Ontario, or 10.1 percent of the population, live on low income, defined as a household income of less than $53,005 per year for a family of four. [2,3] Just over 15 percent (15.3%) of Ontarians are in core housing need, defined as households with housing that does not meet one or more of the standards for adequacy, suitability, and/or affordability, and that have to spend 30 percent or more of their income to access acceptable local housing. [4] Renters in Ontario are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis. Over one third (33.4%) of renters are in core housing need, and 40 percent of renters with children are in core housing need. [5] Ontario’s purpose-built rental housing supply is aging: 85% was built before 1980; this housing is more affordable than rental housing built after 2000. [6] More than half of Ontario’s renters (53.6%) live in a unit below one or more housing standards. [7]

1. Schoen, Deborah . (2015).  RentSafe Background Paper on Housing-Related Health Risks.  https://rentsafe.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/rentsafebackgrounder_housingrelatedhealthrisks_final1540.pdf 
2. Statistics Canada (2022). Table 98-10-0103-01  Low-income status by age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions.  https://doi.org/10.25318/9810010301-eng
3. Statistics Canada (2022). Table 2.4 Low-income measures thresholds (LIM-AT and LIM-BT) for private households of Canada, 2020.  https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/ref/dict/tab/index-eng.cfm?ID=t2_4
4. Statistics Canada (2017).  Core housing need, 2016 Census. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/chn-biml/index-eng.cfm
5. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (2016).  Core Housing Need (2016) – Ontario.  https://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/hmip-pimh/en#Profile/35/2/Ontario
6. Government of Ontario. (2019).  Housing Needs in Ontario.  Community housing renewal: Ontario’s action plan under the National Housing Strategy. https://www.ontario.ca/document/community-housing-renewal-ontarios-action-plan-under-national-housing-strategy/housing-needs-ontario#
7. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (2016).  Core Housing Need (2016) – Ontario.  https://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/hmip-pimh/en#Profile/3