Resources for Women

Putting our Housing in Order: State of the Inner City Report (2008). This is the fourth annual edition of the State of the Inner City Report, released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Manitoba. The report highlights current issues and trends in Winnipeg’s inner city, focusing specifically on housing as a major concern. See http://www.policyalternatives.ca/reports/2008/12/reportsstudies2040/.

The Housing Circumstances of Recently Arrived Refugees: The Winnipeg Experience (2008). This report describes a two year study of recently arrived refugees in the city of Winnipeg, and discusses their significant housing challenges. The research findings highlight the changes in circumstances that occurred over the two year study period. The report was written by researchers at the University of Winnipeg and released by Prairie Metropolis Centre at the University of Alberta. Find the report at http://pcerii.metropolis.net/generalinfo/info_content/HousingRefugeesWinnipeg%5B1%5D.pdf

Report on the brutal impacts of homelessness on women (released 2008): A study calls homelessness a "life-threatening" condition for women: http://www.intraspec.ca/homelessCanada_news-and-reports.php#average-rents.

Linking Social Housing and Energy Efficiency (released March 2008): explores the link between the theory, policy and practice of energy-efficient social housing. The theory addresses the general question of what is energy-efficient housing and why a lot of social housing is not energy efficient. Current policy and programs in Ontario are reviewed to discover what incentives and opportunities exist to enhance the energy efficiency of affordable housing. http://www.cprn.org/doc.cfm?doc=1852&l=en

Report on minimum housing wage (released 2007): Housing continues to move out of reach for minimum wage workers. Minimum housing wage measures the level of hourly wages that a person or household must earn to afford an average rent unit without paying more than the norm of 30% of before tax income for housing. To download the full report by the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, visit: http://www.chra-achru.ca/english/View.asp?x=968&id=773.

A Safer Haven: Innovations for Improving Social Housing in Canada (released December 2007): discusses the importance of social housing in Canada as it relates to social integration and access to social services for residents. Produced by the Canadian Policy Research Networks http://www.cprn.org/doc.cfm?doc=1803&l=en

Study looks at residential hotels as home: A first-ever study examined the role residential hotels play in sheltering an estimated 1,000 Winnipeggers. The study is titled Beyond a Front Desk: The Residential Hotel as Home by Jino Distasio, Susan Mulligan, Constable Gerard Allard and Mike Maunder. The Single Room Occupancy Hotel (SRO) has become an important form of affordable housing in the City of Winnipeg. Ten recommendations, intended to help preserve and protect this form of shelter and improve residents' quality of life, are offered. The report is available on the Winnipeg Inner City Research Alliance website at http://ius.uwinnipeg.ca/wira_publications.html. For more information about the research, contact Jino Distasio at 204-982-1147 or e-mail: j.distasio@uwinnipeg.ca.

Info on sustainable community planning (released 2006): Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) promotional brochure lists CMHC information products that highlight best practices in sustainable design and development, as well as tools for planners and designers, and practical information for homeowners. It is available at: http://tinyurl.com/lg3zv.

Newcomers Guide to Canadian Housing: The Newcomer's Guide to Canadian Housing is a resource put out by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The guide is written in clear English and has everything needed to understand how to rent or buy a home. To download the guide, visit: http://www.settlement.org/sys/library_detail.asp?doc_id=1000691

New housing report (released 2006): The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's 10-page report concerning brownfield development in nine study communities is available at: http://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca