Housing for newcomers is a problem - the data focuses on where the problem is most serious

By Staff

March 5th, 2019

BURLINGTON, ON

Community Development Halton serves the community in a number of capacities.  One is the raw information and statistical data it collects and interprets for use at the municipal level.

These “lenses” are produced on a regular basis – the most recent is on housing for new immigrants.

Housing and employment are the two most cited challenges faced by newcomers1 to Canada. For new immigrants, finding suitable and affordable housing is vital to their successful settlement and integration into the community. This Community Lens takes a closer look at newcomer’s housing need challenges in Halton.

Between 2011 and 2016, Halton received over 20,000 immigrants from all over the world. Over two-third (66.6%) of newcomers were admitted as economic immigrants, 27% were sponsored by family and 6% were admitted as refugees.

Newcomers are twice as likely to live in tenant households (30%) compared to 15% for the general population. Newcomers are also more likely in core housing need. According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), a household is said to be in ‘core housing need’ if its housing condition falls below at least one of the adequacy, affordability and suitability standards and the household would have to spend 30% or more of its total before-tax income to pay the median rent of alternative local housing that is acceptable (meets all three housing standards). Housing standards are defined as:

• Adequate housing is housing not requiring any major repairs
• Affordable housing costs less than 30% of the total before-tax household income
• Suitable housing has enough bedrooms for the size and composition of resident households