Evidence Network

The many faces of poverty in Canada

The federal government is to be congratulated on its just-released Poverty Reduction Strategy. The strategy itself, running to over 100 pages, endorses the idea of an official poverty line, relieving Statistics Canada from the impossible task of finding a purely statistical basis for defining and measuring poverty. It further endorses the idea that poverty has […]

Saskatchewan budget misses opportunity on rental housing assistance

In the recent Saskatchewan budget, the Moe government made the surprise announcement that it would slowly phase out a rental housing assistance program known as the Saskatchewan Rental Housing Supplement. Given current rental housing market realities, the government ought to have done the complete opposite and expanded the program. That’s because high vacancy rates create […]

Charity is not enough to fight poverty

Tis’ the food bank season ’Tis the season when everyone wants to help support their local food bank initiatives. But “sharing the season” always poses a tough question for me: How do we help our neighbours when, according to Canada Without Poverty, there are 4.9 million neighbours to help?  The number of Canadians in need […]

The work to end poverty and homelessness is just beginning

At last, Canada stands with other developed nations when the federal government launched our first National Housing Strategy (NHS) this week. While this historic step forward represents what many activists have been calling on for decades, is it time to rejoice? Will the staggering $40 billion dollars promised over 10 years amend nearly a quarter […]

Mettre fin à la pauvreté et à l’itinérance : Le travail ne fait que commencer

Une bonne nouvelle pour le Canada, mais le diable est dans les détails   Le Canada emboîte enfin le pas à d’autres pays développés avec le lancement de sa première Stratégie nationale sur le logement, cette semaine. Alors que cette avancée historique représente ce que de nombreux militants demandent depuis des décennies, pouvons-nous vraiment nous […]

Homelessness costs Canadians big money without addressing the causes

It’s time we put Housing First   For most of his life, Murray Barr was an ordinary American until everything changed abruptly when his story of personal tragedy and period of homelessness created a media frenzy.  It was in his article, “Million Dollar Murray,” that Malcolm Gladwell turned homelessness into a celebrity cause by illustrating […]

Backgrounder: The relationship between burden of disease and health equity

Everyone deserves to live a long life in full health, but not everyone is so fortunate. Some individuals and groups are more at risk of falling ill, becoming severely ill or disabled or dying prematurely (that is, before the average expected life span).

‘Burden of disease’: What it means and why it matters

In a world affected by numerous diseases, disabilities and illnesses, how do governments, health care providers, media or the general public decide which ones are most important?

Safe, secure and affordable housing is a health issue

When you’re feeling unwell, whether from a minor cold or a devastating terminal illness, the feeling of home, the desire for a safe and comfortable place to rest and recuperate, is a universal one. But what if your home itself is a source of stress and illness?