Recession and Stimulus Spending: A Preliminary Examination of Stimulus Spending on Affordable Housing in Ontario

by Arif Jinha

Full text published by CPRN - Canadian Policy Research Networks.

The federal budget of January 2009 allocated almost $2 billion toward social housing, reversing a trend of funding cuts to social housing policies and programs from previous governments. This paper provides an early look at the significance of the global economic recession and the impact of one-time stimulus spending on affordable housing programs in the province of Ontario. The author interviews policy-makers from regional, provincial and federal levels of government and analyzes housing indicators to review the long-term needs for successful social housing programs. The author argues that housing is a public good unlike other durable goods in our economy and that the economic crisis creates an opportunity to think about the long-term needs and challenges for sustainable and affordable housing in Canada.

The CPRN/SHSC Housing Research Internship and Scholar Program is funded by SHSC and run by CPRN's Director of Housing and Environment, Dr. Michael Buzzelli. The program's overall aim is to develop Canada's housing research and policy capacity by attracting and retaining the best and the brightest in the housing sector. The program is an intensive four-month policy research training experience that results in the publication of original housing policy research. For information on SHSC, go to www.shscorp.ca.

Release Date: 18 Jan 2010
Number of pages: 49
Document number: 52000