Advocates rally around Homelessness Ends with Housing Act – Ontario Greens

Report on the “Homelessness Ends with Housing Act” and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction to Bill 28

On October 21, 2025, Members of Provincial Parliament, Aislinn Clancy and Lee Fairclough, highlighted significant endorsements for Bill 28, the Homelessness Ends with Housing Act, 2025. The proposed legislation aims to implement a province-wide strategy to eliminate homelessness in Ontario within a ten-year timeframe. The bill is grounded in a housing-first approach, a strategy that prioritizes providing stable and permanent housing to individuals experiencing homelessness. This initiative directly addresses several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to poverty, health, inequality, and sustainable communities.

Key Endorsements and Linkages to SDGs

Support for the bill has been voiced by leaders across the health, mental health, and social work sectors, who underscore the legislation’s potential to advance key development objectives.

• Tara Groves, CEO of Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo, endorsed the bill for its data-driven strategy, achievable housing targets, and investments in supportive housing with integrated health services. This comprehensive approach is critical for achieving SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by addressing the complex health challenges faced by vulnerable populations.
• Helen Fishburn, CEO of CMHA Waterloo Wellington, emphasized the cyclical relationship between poor mental health and housing instability. Her statement highlights the bill’s role in addressing the social determinants of health, a core component of SDG 3, and reducing health-related inequalities as targeted by SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
• Tracy Elop, CEO of Camino Wellbeing + Mental Health, affirmed that stable housing is a foundational requirement for mental health, recovery, safety, and dignity. The bill’s housing-first model supports the creation of inclusive and safe environments, aligning with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
• Ajirioghene Evi, CEO of the Ontario Association of Social Workers, noted the far-reaching consequences of inadequate housing across multiple systems, including healthcare, justice, and education. The bill is seen as a crucial intervention to support well-being and strengthen community services, contributing to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
• Peter Martin, Housing Solutions Manager at the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness, provided a perspective based on lived experience, stressing the importance of building appropriate housing to help individuals transition out of homelessness. This supports the bill’s goal of making homelessness rare and non-recurring, directly advancing SDG 1 (No Poverty).

Direct Alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The Homelessness Ends with Housing Act is fundamentally aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its objectives and proposed mechanisms contribute directly to the following goals:

1. SDG 1: No Poverty: By aiming to eliminate homelessness, the bill targets the most extreme form of poverty and seeks to provide the economic and social stability necessary for individuals to escape the poverty cycle.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The legislation recognizes housing as a critical determinant of health. By integrating health and mental health services with supportive housing, it aims to improve health outcomes and promote well-being for all.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The act is designed to support the most vulnerable members of society, thereby reducing the profound social and economic inequalities experienced by those without stable housing.
4. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The bill directly addresses Target 11.1, which is to ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services by 2030. It provides a legislative framework for making communities more inclusive and resilient.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The cross-party collaboration between MPP Clancy and MPP Fairclough, combined with the broad coalition of support from community organizations, exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships required to achieve the SDGs.

Conclusion and Legislative Outlook

The Homelessness Ends with Housing Act represents a significant legislative effort to address a critical social issue in Ontario through a structured, evidence-based strategy. The widespread endorsements from community experts confirm its potential to create lasting positive change. By passing this bill, the government has an opportunity to make substantial progress on its commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, fostering a more equitable, healthy, and sustainable province for all residents.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article’s central theme is the “Homelessness Ends with Housing Act,” which directly addresses the need for adequate and safe housing. This aligns with the core objective of SDG 11 to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The call for a “province-wide homelessness elimination strategy” and “achievable housing targets” is a direct effort to improve urban living conditions for the most vulnerable.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article establishes a strong link between housing and health. It quotes experts who state that “stable housing is essential to mental health and recovery” and that housing instability puts mental health at risk. The proposed bill’s inclusion of “investments in supportive housing with integrated health and mental health services” directly connects the housing issue to the goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.
3. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • Homelessness is an extreme manifestation of poverty. By aiming to provide “safe, affordable housing,” the initiative addresses the lack of access to basic services, which is a key dimension of poverty. The article notes that social workers see the consequences of homelessness across various service systems, highlighting how the lack of housing perpetuates a cycle of poverty and exclusion.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article demonstrates a multi-stakeholder approach to solving homelessness. It highlights collaboration “across party lines” between MPPs Aislinn Clancy and Lee Fairclough. Furthermore, it lists endorsements from a wide range of civil society organizations, including Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo, CMHA Waterloo Wellington, and the Ontario Association of Social Workers, showcasing a partnership between government, non-profits, and experts to achieve the goal.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.
   • This is the most directly relevant target. The “Homelessness Ends with Housing Act” and its goal to “eliminate homelessness in Ontario within 10 years” is a clear attempt to achieve this target. The article’s focus on a “housing-first approach,” “supportive housing,” and “safe, stable housing” directly reflects the language and intent of Target 11.1.
2. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • The article’s emphasis on the connection between housing and mental health aligns with this target. Helen Fishburn of CMHA states, “Housing instability puts mental health at risk,” and Tracy Elop notes, “stable housing is essential to mental health and recovery.” The bill’s proposal for “integrated health and mental health services” is a strategy aimed at promoting mental health and well-being for a vulnerable population.
3. Target 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services…
   • The initiative aims to provide housing, a fundamental basic service, to those who lack it. The article describes homelessness as a condition affecting the most vulnerable and impacting their access to a wide range of other services like “health care, criminal justice… education and others.” Ensuring housing is a foundational step toward achieving Target 1.4.
4. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…
   • The article is a testament to this target in action. It describes a public partnership (cross-party MPP collaboration) and a broader civil society partnership (endorsements from multiple health, social work, and housing advocacy organizations). This coalition of “advocates, experts and people with lived experience” is the type of partnership needed to address complex issues like homelessness.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 11.1 (Implied): Proportion of population experiencing homelessness.
   • The article explicitly states a clear, measurable goal: to “eliminate homelessness in Ontario within 10 years.” This implies that a key indicator for success will be the reduction in the number and proportion of people experiencing homelessness. The bill’s proposal for a strategy “grounded in meaningful data” and “achievable housing targets” further suggests that tracking this number will be a primary method of measuring progress.
2. Indicator for Target 3.4 (Implied): Prevalence of mental health conditions among the homeless and vulnerably housed population.
   • The article cites research that “individuals experiencing poor mental health are 50 per cent more likely to live in inadequate housing.” This establishes a baseline connection. An implied indicator of the bill’s success would be a measurable improvement in the mental health outcomes of individuals who secure stable housing through the program. Tracking the mental wellness of the target population would measure progress toward promoting well-being.
3. Indicator for Target 17.17 (Mentioned): Number and diversity of organizations endorsing and participating in the initiative.
   • The article itself serves as evidence for this indicator. It lists several distinct organizations from different sectors (community health, mental health, social work, housing advocacy) that have endorsed the bill. The continued engagement and collaboration of these diverse partners can be used as an indicator to measure the strength and effectiveness of the partnership.

4. Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: gpo.ca