Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday January 22, 1999
Homelessness is our problem
People who live outside Toronto generally have concerns other than worrying about the plight of the homeless in that city. But it’s hard to ignore the housing crisis in Canada’s largest metropolis. Toronto’s problems of homelessness and chronic shortage of low-cost housing are becoming Ontario’s problems. That much is clear after a new report urging substantial spending by the senior levels of government to ease the hardship.
The reluctance of the private sector to build housing for low-income people, a stark reality, is underlined in the report from a task force headed by Greater Toronto United Way president Anne Golden. Developers aren’t eager to provide affordable housing for very-low income households, at least without some government help. Cash-strapped governments face a daunting task in trying to supply all of the demand at the bottom end of the market. In fact, the federal and provincial governments have seen fit to withdraw from construction of social housing. It’s not surprising that homelessness is rising, together with waiting lists for affordable housing, and not just in Toronto. Drop-in centres, temporary shelters, food banks and similar social services are under serious pressure in Hamilton and most urban centres.
Golden’s task force leans heavily in the direction of public as opposed to private sector solutions. Urging action by all three levels of government, the report has sobering recommendations for hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending ever year. Projects for new and renovated low-income housing, and enriched shelter allowances for the working poor carry some of the highest price tags.
Public investment on this scale is a tall order, especially when governments have retreated from subsidized housing in order to fight bloated deficits. But the magnitude of the problem is equally massive. The visible hardship is reflected in the destitute who sleep on the street. The so-called hidden homeless, struggling to live in substandard accommodations, are often almost as desperate. The pressure on governments to act will only increase if the trend doesn’t improve.
While senior governments should accept more responsibility, fiscal reality sugge sts that it will be difficult to move as boldly as the report suggests. Better results might lie in addressing the root of the problem: lack of private sector involvement. Governments could find that it’s more cost-effective to attract private builders with a range of new incentives than to attempt a massive reinvestment.
There are many ideas to promote low-income housing. Suggestions include:
– more generous property tax incentives;
– more creativity in municipal planning and flexibility in zoning bylaws;
– requiring a percentage of affordable housing in new residential projects;
– rebates on provincial and federal sales taxes for developers of affordable housing;
– making publicly-owned properties available.
Accelerated, widespread incentives to investors will trim government revenues. B ut much of the expense will be offset by savings from reduced demand for social services. Of equal importance, finding decent housing for the poor will pay big dividends in sparing Toronto, Hamilton and other communities from the ugly social and economic problems that afflict many American cities. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial, A10, 1/22/1999)
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Bridging the Gap from Cartoon to Crisis
July 21, 2023
Twenty-five years have elapsed since the ink of an editorial cartoon dried, imprinting a stark warning about a looming housing crisis in Ontario, Canada. The illustration portrayed the grim reality of homelessness juxtaposed with oblivious leaders, a visual narrative that echoed a prophetic call sounded by the Ann Golden task force. Yet, in the year 2024, the crisis has not just persisted; it has snowballed into a formidable issue demanding our collective attention.
In the political landscape, promises like Trudeau’s commitment of $15 billion for affordable housing emerge, but the reality on the ground remains starkly different. The winter of 2023 laid bare the inadequacies in the city’s response, highlighting gaps that threatened the safety of those already vulnerable. Matthew Cymbalisty’s journey, from battling frostbite on the streets to finding stability in subsidized housing, encapsulates both personal triumphs and the systemic failures that still haunt our society.
April 7, 2017
Reflecting on the past reveals that the roots of homelessness in Canada can be traced back to policy shifts in the 1980s. The editorial cartoon served not just as a warning but as a call to action that unfortunately seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. The 2017 National Housing Strategy committed a substantial $72 billion, but the question looms: Is it being deployed effectively to address the urgent needs of the population?
As we mark a quarter-century since the publication of that particular cartoon, the signs of “vacancy” should not merely symbolize continued cluelessness. Instead, they must serve as a rallying cry for a profound reevaluation of priorities. Homelessness is not confined to Toronto or Hamilton; it is a national problem that requires urgent, collaborative action. The commitment must shift from merely funding homelessness programs to securing affordable housing—a fundamental human right that resonates through the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights and the 1976 International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
The 25-year milestone is not just an anniversary; it is a moment for introspection and renewed commitment. The cartoon’s warning is still relevant, and the signs of “vacancy” must be transformed into symbols of proactive leadership and compassionate governance. Homelessness demands not just financial commitments but a comprehensive, coordinated effort across all levels of government, industry, and non-profit organizations. It is time for Canada to rise collectively and turn this crisis into an opportunity for lasting change. (Graeme MacKay, January 16, 2024)