When Debbie Staples was told she might have to leave the apartment she has lived in for nearly 20 years, she tried to imagine what might come next. 'Is the postman going to deliver the mail to my car?' she recalls thinking. 'Because that's where I'd be living.'
Staples, 65, lives on a disability income and pays about $600 a month in rent. She says there is nowhere she could realistically go if forced out of her home. Market rents would eat up all of her income — or more. She is not an outlier; she's a warning.
Ottawa's Housing Logjam
Ottawa doesn't just have a housing shortage. It has a housing logjam. The problem shows up especially clearly among seniors. Many who might otherwise move — because their homes are larger than they need, for example — are staying put, not because they want to, but because there's nowhere obvious to go, particularly if they're reaching an age where they need some supports. Downsizing is one thing. Leaving behind a neighbourhood — and the community that comes with it — is another.
Others don't have the luxury of staying. Older renters on fixed or limited incomes are increasingly being pushed out by rising rents or renovictions, only to find that what comes next is far more expensive, and often out of reach.
The Scope of the Problem
According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation's 2022 Canadian Housing Survey, slightly more than 11 per cent of households in Canada were in 'core housing need,' meaning that at least one of these three is true: their rent is unaffordable (30 per cent or more of their pre-tax income); unsuitable (not enough bedrooms); or inadequate (it needs major repairs); AND the person would need to spend 30 per cent or more of their income for alternative housing in the community. For renters, that figure is nearly double — 22 per cent — and higher still for renters in social and affordable housing.
Meanwhile, most Canadians say they want to remain in their homes as they age. Among those 65 and older, 96 per cent would do everything they could to avoid going into a long-term care facility, according to a 2020 study by the National Institute on Ageing.
The Missing Middle
There is clearly a middle ground between independent and institutional living that isn't getting enough attention. Many older adults don't need long-term care, but they do need something more manageable than a detached house and more supportive than a conventional apartment. They need housing that is affordable, accessible and connected to community life. 'It's not just about aging in place,' says Grace Welch, a member of the Council on Aging of Ottawa's Age-Friendly housing committee. 'It's about aging in community.'
A Unique Opportunity
Ottawa has a unique opportunity now to make that happen for more seniors. A coalition of Ottawa organizations is proposing Village Canada, an intergenerational community at Confederation Heights that would combine affordable and market housing with on-site health care, recreation, social supports and shared community space for seniors, families, students and adults with disabilities. It's expected that between 1,000 and 2,000 people would live there.
The proposed 23-acre project would form part of the much larger redevelopment of Confederation Heights — nearly 500 acres of federal land being reimagined by Canada Lands Company and Public Services and Procurement Canada as a mixed-use neighbourhood with housing, parks, streets and commercial space. This initiative represents a critical step toward addressing the housing logjam and ensuring that seniors can age with dignity in the communities they helped build.
