Housing is Health

Canada is the only G8 country with no national housing strategy. How is this possible when we know that appropriate housing is a fundamental right, and essential to the basic activities of daily living? When facing homelessness or housing instability, immediate survival takes priority over other activities and choices. The stresses of the environment are relentless. Violence is ubiquitous, and stable intimate relationships are impossible. Homelessness degrades one's very identity.

For people living with HIV, housing and housing supports play a critical role. In 2010 there were 71,000 people living with HIV in Canada, and this number is growing. In Ontario alone, almost half of people living with HIV/AIDS experience housing instability, and one quarter are in danger of losing their housing because of cost. Housing supports create stability and community, connect people to care, help mitigate risk factors, and increase the quality of life for people with HIV.