Why housing should be a human right

Why housing should be a human right

From Wonk by Public Policy Forum

March 5, 2026 · 40 min · Season 4

About this episode

The episode discusses the housing crisis in Canada and the argument for treating housing as a human right.

It's hardly a secret that Canada has a housing problem. Usually it's described by the affordability issues around owning a home, but there is another and arguably more pernicious problem. Too many Canadians simply don't have one. Treating housing as a human right is one way to start facing that second housing crisis. Host Amanda Lang talks with Pearl Eliades, a Quebec-based lawyer specializing in human rights and a professor at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, and Dr. Andrew Boozary, founding executive director of the Gattuso Center for Social Medicine at the University Health Network in Toronto.

People in this episode

Host: Amanda Lang

Guests: Pearl Eliades, Dr. Andrew Boozary

Topics covered

  • housing crisis
  • human rights
  • affordability
  • social medicine
  • public policy

Keywords

  • housing
  • human rights
  • Canada
  • affordability
  • social medicine
  • public policy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Max Bell School of Public Policy, Gattuso Center for Social Medicine

Places: Canada, Quebec, Toronto

More episodes of Wonk

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Wonk podcast page.