This week, we are joined by Safiyah Husein, the Senior Policy Analyst at John Howard Society of Ontario’s Centre of Research and Policy. She discusses the intersections between justice and homelessness including how people involved in the justice system often become caught in a vicious cycle of homelessness and incarceration, as well as the recently released “No Fixed Address – The Intersections of Justice Involvement and Homelessness” report.

This week, Garima Talwar Kapoor, the Director of Policy and Research at Maytree, joins us to talk about the key findings from Maytree’s recently released Social Assistance report and how this data can be used to inform possible policy actions to improve social assistance programs across Canada.

This week, we are joined by Kaitlin Schwan, Katlia Lafferty, and Khulud Baig to talk about the two human rights claims that were submitted by the Women’s Housing and Homelessness Network and the National Indigenous Feminist Housing Working Group to the Federal Housing Advocate. These claims spotlight the right to housing violations experienced by marginalized women and gender-diverse people across the country and call for immediate action by the federal government.

This week, we are joined by Dr. Robb Kelly, a sought-after recovery expert who believes in treating the causes of addiction instead of just the symptoms. Both a lived expert and expert in his field of recovery, he shares his story of homelessness and recovery, along with his thoughts on both the causes and solutions to the opioid crisis we are facing in North America.

This week’s podcast features Adrienne Pacini from SHS consulting, Joshua Benard from Habitat for Humanity GTA and Emmy Kelly from Blue Door to discuss their new “Dwell” Housing Equity program which looks to provide deeply affordable housing while helping people build equity for a brighter future.

We’ve heard time and time again that innovation and action are critical if we are to move the needle on ending homelessness in Canada. This week on the podcast, we are joined by the incredible Deirdre Freiheit, the CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope in Ottawa, who has taken innovation and action to new levels in supporting the city’s most vulnerable. From new housing projects to innovative health care for those most in need, Deirdre and her team are leading the way. Give it a listen and get ready to learn!

One of the most over-represented communities experiencing homelessness across North America are youth who identify as 2SLGBTQ+. Research points to a need for specialized housing programs for these youth and many organizations have stepped up their programming to meet this need. This week we are joined by Alex Cheng from Blue Door and Alyssa Jenson from Trellis, two organizations who have developed innovative and responsive housing programs for 2SLGBTQ+ youth.

This week, we are joined by Kevin Webb, the Director of Emergency Shelter and Housing at the Calgary Drop-In Centre. Being a member of the Canadian Shelter Transformation Network, Kevin frequently works with shelters across Canada to find creative, innovative, and compassionate ways to advance housing-focused opportunities within the homeless-serving sector of care.

This week we discuss the successes and learnings of Calgary Drop-In’s approach to support individuals in local encampments during the pandemic.

This week, we are joined by Julia Markovich, a researcher in the Housing Division at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Julia talks to us about some amazing work she has done in regards to Evictions with Seniors and Older Adults. This is an aspect of homelessness that is often overlooked and deeply important in understanding how homelessness impacts people from all corners of our community. We discuss how the research was conducted, its impact, and some of her most surprising findings.

This week, we are joined by Canada’s first Federal Housing Advocate, Marie-Josée Houle—an experienced leader recognized for her community activism, expertise in human rights, and extensive knowledge of the housing and homelessness system.

Ms. Houle joins us to talk more about her role as the Federal Housing Advocate and why this position is a critical step forward in advancing housing as a fundamental human right in Canada.