Housing Rights Advisory Committee
The full agenda, as filed
All 7 items in the clerk’s order. Each carries the city’s own words: the staff recommendation, what the body decided, and its status. Nothing below is written by us.
HS4.1received
Resignation of a Member from the Housing Rights Advisory Committee
The City Clerk's Office received notice that Danyaal Raza resigned from the Housing Rights Advisory Committee effective September 23, 2024. Staff from the Public Appointments Secretariat in the City Clerk's Office are leading a process to recruit applicants and help bring a nominated candidate to City Council for their consideration.
The Housing Rights Advisory Committee accepted the resignation of Danyaal Raza as a member effective September 23, 2024.
HS4.2amended
The Chair of the Supporting Unhoused Rights Holders Working Group will provide an update and share the outcomes of the group's consultation on Toronto's Shelter Safety Action Plan.
The Housing Rights Advisory Committee: 1. Requested the City Clerk to send the Housing Rights Advisory Committee's feedback to the Economic and Community Development Committee for consideration with the report from the General Manager, Toronto Shelter and Support Services regarding the Shelter Safety Action Plan.
HS4.3received
Improving Access to Housing Working Group Chair Update and Strategic Priorities
The Chair of the Improving Access to Housing Working Group will provide an update and share the strategic priorities of the working group.
The Housing Rights Advisory Committee received the item for information.
HS4.4amended
The Chair of the Maintaining Housing Working Group will provide an update and share the outcomes of the group's consultation on Toronto's proposed renovictions by-law.
The Housing Rights Advisory Committee: 1. Requested the City Clerk to send the Housing Rights Advisory Committee's feedback to City Council for consideration with the report from the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building on Item PH16.4 - Implementing a Rental Renovation License Bylaw to Address Renovictions.
HS4.5received
Increasing Adequate Housing Supply Working Group Update on Key Priorities
The Chair of the Increasing Adequate Housing Supply Working Group will provide an update and share the strategic priorities of the working group.
The Housing Rights Advisory Committee received the item for information.
HS4.6received
Mercedeh Madani, Acting Director, Housing Policy Strategy, Housing Secretariat, will provide a presentation, overviewing the City of Toronto's Housing Progress Report 2023-2024 and its plans to conduct a mid-point review of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan.
The Housing Rights Advisory Committee received the item for information.
HS4.7amended
Building a Common Understanding of Housing Rights - Invitation for Special Guest Speaker
Following discussion arising from Item HS1.5 - Building a Common Understanding of Housing Rights, I believe that the committee should invite opportunities to expand its housing rights knowledge and increase its capacity to fulfill its mandate, in particular, to provide advice to City Council: a) on policies, programs and actions that the City can implement to advance its commitment to furthering the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing in Toronto based on housing and human rights expertise, lived experiences of housing precarity, discrimination and homelessness, and academic research and learnings from other jurisdictions.
The Housing Rights Advisory Committee: 1. Invited Leilani Farha, Global Director of The Shift and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing to present at today's Housing Rights Advisory Committee meeting on applying a human rights-based approach to housing and identifying human rights outcomes that municipalities can work toward. 2. Confirmed its support of the following: a. Housing Rights Advisory Committee is seriously concerned with the proposal by mayors in Ontario, and the Premier of Ontario, to invoke the notwithstanding clause in order to override the Charter rights of individuals who are unhoused and unsheltered in Ontario cities by clearing encampments, imposing involuntary treatment and incarceration for repeated trespass. This contravenes our commitments under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It fundamentally opposes the right to life and security of the person as protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and is inconsistent with the National Housing Strategy Act; b. Housing Rights Advisory Committee strongly encourages the City of Toronto to continue its work and commitment under the Toronto Housing Charter to realize the right to housing for every resident in this city.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Chair recommends that the Housing Rights Advisory Committee: 1. Invite Leilani Farha, Global Director of The Shift and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing to present at today's Housing Rights Advisory Committee meeting on applying a human rights-based approach to housing and identifying human rights outcomes that municipalities can work toward.