Missing the Mark on Housing Policy: The Canada Housing Benefit in Atlantic Canada.


Luc Theriault, University of New Brunswick

We examine the design and implementation of a new Canadian housing allowance program called the Canada Housing Benefit (CHB). Focusing on three provinces, we explore to what extent the CHB adheres to "just housing", based on the perspectives of stakeholders who work with people living in poverty. We find that the CHB fails to provide assistance to many marginalized renters, thus perpetuating their exclusion. The allowance also falls short in providing housing that is affordable and secure, and the program lacks involvement in decision-making on the part of those with lived experience. Finally, the current state of the rental market, including a lack of units and landlord discrimination, poses significant limitations to its implementation. We conclude that the design of the CHB needs to be overhauled in order to comply with just housing, but that the housing terrain in which allowances are provided needs to be transformed or just housing will remain unrealized.

Non-presenting authors: Catherine Leviten-Reid, Cape Breton University; Misha Maitreyi, University of New Brunswick

This paper will be presented at the following session: