Before rising for its summer recess, the Ontario government quickly passed a series of housing-related laws that raise significant concerns, in particular for the rights of encampment residents and renters, as well as for housing providers and affordable housing development. As part of its accelerated process, the government failed to consult with the public on these and other key pieces of legislation, raising further concerns around the opportunity for meaningful and democratic engagement. Below, we outline the current context in Ontario, our concerns with the government’s approach, and our recommendations and next steps to urge the government to take an evidence- and rights-based approach to address the root causes of the housing and homelessness crisis.
The crisis in Ontario
In the midst of growing political, social, and economic uncertainty, Ontario is facing a deepening housing and homelessness crisis. Renters are facing soaring rental costs, few affordable options, and limited housing security. Coupled with inadequate protections against excessive rents, unfair evictions, renovictions, demovictions, disrepair, discrimination, and many other issues, these conditions are leading renters to increasingly experience housing precarity and homelessness.
While 12 per cent of Ontarians are in core housing need – meaning that their housing is unaffordable, in need of major repairs, and/or does not have enough space for their family size – the rate of core housing need is more than double (25 per cent) for renters. Meanwhile, homelessness surveys reveal that more than 80,000 Ontarians experienced homelessness last year, an increase of over 25 per cent since 2022. This number could grow to 300,000 in the next decade without significant, targeted intervention.
Solving the crisis
Despite these staggering and extremely concerning figures, the solutions to address these growing challenges are entirely within Ontario’s grasp. As countless experts and reports have identified, building and protecting affordable housing – and the people who live there – is critical to tackling the housing and homelessness crisis. In addition to providing residents with security, stability, and dignity, these solutions are also more cost-effective for governments, as they save money on costly public services, such as healthcare, shelters and the justice system. What’s more, when people have access to housing that is safe, secure and affordable, they have stronger social and economic outcomes, from better physical and mental health to greater productivity and economic participation.
Ontario’s misguided approach
Unfortunately, the Ontario government continues to eschew these evidence- and rights-based approaches and instead continues to implement policies that undermine human rights, while failing to address the root causes and effectively tackle the housing and homelessness crisis. Moreover, the government bypassed key processes to engage with the public on the development of these policies, thus failing to provide opportunities for experts – including those with lived experience – to share their feedback and ensure that the government’s approach is responsive to the needs of people most impacted by the housing and homelessness crisis.
During the 2025 spring session, the government quickly passed various pieces of housing-related legislation, including:
- Bill 6, Safer Municipalities Act, 2025, which further criminalizes people experiencing homelessness, rather than respecting their rights and meeting their needs.
- Bill 10, Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, 2025, which undermines renters’ rights and puts undue burdens on housing providers.
- Bill 17, Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, which limits the creation of new affordable housing.
As part of its sweeping and accelerated legislative agenda, the government also passed and introduced additional pieces of legislation that raise significant concerns, including:
- Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, which undermines critical provincial and municipal laws, as well as Indigenous and treaty rights, through the development of “special economic zones.”
- Bill 25, Emergency Management Modernization Act, 2025, which proposes concerning requirements for municipalities and non-profits to comply with provincial directives that may not align with local or community needs.
Pivoting to an evidence- and rights-based approach
In our recent submission to members of the Ontario government and opposition parties, we outlined our initial concerns with some of the new pieces of housing-related legislation, recognizing the need for further analysis, explanation, and consultation to better understand the range of potential implications. Ahead of returning for the fall legislative session, we urge the government to reconsider its current approach to tackling the housing and homelessness crisis and instead commit to upholding the right to housing by taking evidence- and rights-based approaches – namely by building and protecting housing that is secure and affordable, and that meets diverse community needs.
In the meantime, we will continue working with our community partners to further analyze the potential implications of these bills and develop our next steps to challenge the government’s approach, including by exploring potential legal action.
Members of the Encampment Justice Coalition have also developed resources for encampment residents to better understand the potential impacts of Bill 6: