The Rural Ontario Institute is partnering with the Rural Development Network out of Edmonton on the Canadian Rural and Remote Housing and Homelessness Symposium next month.
ROI Housing Project Manager Kezia Cowtan explains that it is a virtual event because, as it is a national event, having it on a virtual platform makes it easier for all of the speakers and participants to attend. Cowtan says housing and homelessness are issues all over the country and there are several conferences planned for the next month or so to try to fund some solutions.
“For Ontario we have the Executive Director from ROMA, Gudy Hutchings. Ontario’s Minister of Rural Economic Development is also saying a few words. On day two we have an Indigenous keynote speaker that’s talking about lived experiences. We have another group that’s talking about mental health issues,” shared Cowtan.
Affordable housing, or just housing for workers, is a huge issue in rural Ontario and Cowtan says this conference will focus on the rural and remote housing and homelessness issues in rural communities, and not so much urban centres, where there are more resources to deal with the problems. She says everyone is aware of the problems, but the hope is that bringing everyone together will allow people to share what’s been working and what hasn’t been working in their communities, and hopefully come up with some solutions. The Canadian Rural and Remote Housing and Homelessness Symposium will be held from June 6 to June 8.
Cowtan also points out any solution is going to take time to implement.
“I know in Eastern Ontario they’ve got a new seven in seven building plan to build a certain number of affordable houses in Eastern Ontario over the next seven years. So I think that they’re hoping to see other regions also put in place these building plans,” Cowtan added.
More information about the Symposium and how to sign on can be found on the Canadian Rural and Remote Housing and Homelessness Symposium web site.
