Ontario Greens will tackle housing & mental health crises by building 60K permanent supportive homes

April 26, 2022

TORONTO — MPP for Guelph and Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner made an announcement in Guelph today on his party's commitment to tackling the worsening housing and mental health crises by building 60,000 permanent supportive homes with wrap-around mental health, addiction and other services over the next ten years.

“Ontario is facing a housing affordability crisis and a mental health crisis,” Schreiner said at the announcement. “The two crises are linked, and both are at a breaking point. For too long the old-line parties have addressed housing and mental health with half measures or no measures. And the pandemic has only made both these issues worse.

“We need new solutions to these old problems. We need action now. And by investing in permanent supportive housing we can address both the mental health crisis and housing crisis at the same time.”

Estimates from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) show that 25–50% of people who are unhoused live with a mental health condition.

“Everyone deserves an affordable place to call home and access to the support they need,” Schreiner said. “We all benefit when our neighbours are housed.”

Mental health professionals are clear that the lowest-cost way to improve people’s lives and mental well being is to provide them with safe, affordable housing. In fact, every $10 spent on preventive care like supportive housing saves over $21 on other government line items like healthcare and the justice system.

“Investing in permanent supportive housing is the right thing to do and it’s the fiscally responsible thing to do,” Schreiner said. “Ontario Greens are committed to building a more caring and affordable Guelph and Ontario.”

Schreiner concluded by calling on Doug Ford to get “serious” on housing and include funding for supportive housing in Guelph and across the province in the upcoming provincial budget.

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