On this page, you will find opportunities to engage with Canada’s new human rights-claiming mechanisms. Help to identity and solve systemic housing issues across the country. Together, we can end the housing and homelessness crisis—and achieve adequate housing for all.
Office of the Federal Housing Advocate
The Federal Housing Advocate is an independent, nonpartisan watchdog, empowered to drive meaningful action to address housing need and homelessness in Canada. The Office of the Federal Housing Advocate, housed at the Canadian Human Rights Commission, helps to promote and protect the right to housing in Canada, including the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing. The goal of the Advocate’s work is to drive change on key systemic housing issues and advance the right to housing for all in Canada.
The Advocate is responsible for making recommendations to improve Canada’s housing laws, policies and programs so that they enable people and families in Canada to have access to adequate, affordable and safe housing that meets their needs. The Advocate’s mandate is guided by a human rights-based approach, which values participation, accountability, non-discrimination, equity, transparency, empowerment, and respect for human rights laws and obligations.
Visit the Advocate’s website to learn more.
Make a submission to the Federal Housing Advocate
The right to adequate housing is a human right for everyone in Canada, yet many people live in housing that does not meet basic standards and needs, and many do not have a place to live at all.
The Federal Housing Advocate is now receiving submissions from individuals and organizations on systemic housing issues, human rights violations, and unmet housing needs across Canada. If you have experienced, witnessed, or worked to address violations of the right to housing—like homelessness, evictions, unaffordability, inaccessibility, or other forms of inadequate or insecure housing—you can make a submission to the Advocate.
Why make a submission?
This new submission tool is a key rights-claiming mechanism that will allow individuals and communities most impacted by inadequate housing and homelessness (and their allies) to have their voices heard.
Submissions are an opportunity to highlight the housing issues and human rights violations that need to be prioritized—and the resources and policies that need to shift—for this housing crisis to be addressed.
Sharing your lived experience (or observations from working in the housing and homelessness sector) will help the Advocate drive change and advance the right to housing for all in Canada.