Introduction to “National Housing Strategy Act (2019)”

The National Housing Strategy (NHS), introduced on November 22, 2017, promised rights-based legislation to implement the government’s commitment to the progressive implementation of the right to housing, as guaranteed in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. That promised legislation, the National Housing Strategy Act, received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019.

This legislation affirms that the government’s housing policy is based on the recognition of the right to housing as it is understood in international human rights law. This means recognizing that all people have the “right to live somewhere in security, peace and dignity,” according to the United Nations. It requires the government to implement reasonable policies and programs to ensure the right to housing for all within the shortest possible timeframe. It also means priority must be given to vulnerable groups and those in greatest need of housing.

The legislation responds to the need for more effective federal leadership in promoting compliance with the commitment to the right to housing under international human rights law. It offers a rights-based process that provinces, territories and local government should affirm and join, since the right to housing under international human rights law also applies to provinces, territories and municipalities in Canada.