We shared the following insights and recommendations based on our expertise in providing accessibility services, attendant services, and advocacy skills training to people with disabilities across Canada, deeply informed by the lived experience of our service users.
March of Dimes Canada (MODC) is calling for a housing system where people with disabilities can easily find homes that are both affordable and accessible, with the supports they need to live independently.
Right now, many people face serious challenges. Accessible housing is in short supply, often too expensive, and not connected to the care and services people need. As a result, some people live in unsafe or unsuitable homes, experience poor health, or even become unhoused. Long waitlists and complicated application systems make things worse.
These problems affect some groups more than others. People in rural areas, those facing discrimination, those unable to advocate for themselves due to cognitive impairments or a lack of personal support, and those with less visible disabilities often have even fewer options. Many are forced to leave their communities or give up independence.
This submission highlights that gaps between housing, healthcare, and income support systems are a major issue. Governments are not working together effectively, and accessibility standards are not consistently required in new housing.
Overall, this submission stresses that investing in accessible housing will improve lives, reduce pressure on healthcare systems, and create more inclusive communities across Canada.
Introduction
MODC is pleased to present this submission to the National Housing Panel on accessible housing in Canada. As a national leader, ally, and trusted service provider supporting people with disabilities, their families, caregivers, and communities, MODC brings front-line experience and system-level insight into the critical need for accessible, affordable, and inclusive housing across the country. We welcome the opportunity to contribute recommendations that will help advance a more equitable and barrier-free housing system for people with disabilities in Canada.
In preparing this submission, MODC has engaged with and listened to the priorities and lived and living experiences of the individuals and communities we serve, as well as our broader network of stakeholders.
MODC’s Vision for Accessible Housing
MODC’s vision for accessible housing in Canada is one where every person who requires accessible, affordable housing and care can obtain it without long wait lists, declining health, or unnecessary hardship. At its core, this means ensuring that affordability is truly meaningful. Housing costs must align with what people on income assistance can realistically pay, such as Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) models, so that no one is forced to choose between housing and basic needs.
A key pillar of this vision is timely access to appropriate supports. Every person with a disability who requires assisted living or supportive housing, whether temporarily or throughout their life, should be able to access these services when they need them. Housing and care must be responsive and flexible, recognizing that needs can evolve across different life stages.
Equally important is how we design and build housing in the first place. Canada should adopt Universal Design principles as a standard, ensuring that new housing accommodates a wide range of abilities, ages, and circumstances. Canada has already developed CAN-ASC-2.8:2025 – Accessible-Ready Housing, which is deeply informed by people with living experience of disability and based on Universal Design principles: these standards should be adopted nationwide through the harmonization of national and territorial/provincial building codes. Accessibility should not be an afterthought or a retrofit. It must be embedded in all new builds from the outset. By considering diverse needs early, we create a range of homes that are inclusive, adaptable, and future-ready.
This approach would contribute to stronger, more inclusive communities by enabling people of all abilities to live independently and participate fully in society. It would also expand and diversify Canada’s housing stock, making it more flexible and better suited to meet changing demographic and accessibility needs.
Ultimately, investing in accessible housing is not only the right thing to do. It is also a practical, system-wide solution. It improves quality of life, reduces pressure on healthcare and social services, and creates more sustainable communities for everyone.
How the lack of accessible housing affects people with disabilities in Canada
The lack of accessible and affordable housing has significant and deeply personal impacts on the people we support, our communities, and our broader systems of care.
Many individuals are forced to live in inadequate or unsafe conditions where they cannot fully access essential areas of their home, such as bathrooms or kitchens. This directly affects their health and dignity. For example, the absence of an accessible shower may result in someone receiving a sponge bath in bed, a level of care that falls below what they need and deserve. These circumstances often contribute to worsening health conditions and a diminished quality of life.
Even when housing is available, the necessary supports, such as attendant services to support activities of daily living, are often not. There is a clear lack of coordination between housing and health systems, resulting in people falling through the cracks. Long waitlists further compound this issue, creating prolonged uncertainty and psychological stress, while people remain in unsuitable housing or deteriorate into health crises before receiving care.
Housing instability is another major concern. People who do secure accessible and affordable housing often live in fear of losing it due to eviction, rising costs, or property sales. Others are forced into precarious or unsafe living arrangements, such as sharing housing out of financial necessity, sometimes with little choice of roommates. This can increase the risk of exploitation, including financial abuse, and compromise their independence. Many individuals also experience homelessness, whether visibly (on the street) or invisibly (couch surfing or relying on temporary arrangements).
The financial burden of retrofitting homes to meet accessibility needs is also significant, often far exceeding the cost of building accessible housing from the outset. At the same time, individuals must navigate complex and inconsistent funding systems to access supports, which vary widely across jurisdictions.
These challenges are reflected in lived and living experiences. Members of our Disability Advocacy Network (DAN) have shared experiences of homelessness linked to inadequate income supports, as well as prolonged difficulty finding suitable housing. Even when housing is secured, it is often neither truly affordable nor accessible.
Overall, the lack of accessible and affordable housing leads to loss of independence, poorer health outcomes, increased poverty and homelessness, and reduced participation in community life. It also drives systems to operate reactively, spending more on healthcare, shelters, and crisis interventions, rather than investing proactively in inclusive housing solutions that prevent these outcomes.
Intersecting identities and geography compound negative impact
The lack of accessible housing affects different groups in distinct, and often compounded ways.
People in rural and remote communities face particularly acute challenges. There are fewer accessible housing options and limited access to coordinated health and social services. As a result, people who require supportive housing often have no choice but to join waitlists in larger urban centres. This can force them to leave their communities, family, and support networks, increasing isolation and disrupting continuity of care. In some cases, individuals remain in institutional settings simply because appropriate housing is not available in their home communities.
Geography also affects suitability: accessible housing units may be located far from essential services, yet many people with disabilities need to live in central areas with access to healthcare, transportation, and community supports. Limited transportation options in smaller or rural communities further exacerbate these barriers.
People with non-apparent disabilities can also be overlooked. While they may not require physical accessibility features such as wheelchair access, they may still need deeply affordable housing due to barriers to employment or fluctuating health conditions. Their needs are often not adequately recognized or prioritized within current housing models. Those unable to advocate for themselves due to cognitive impairments or a lack of personal support can be similarly excluded from access to suitable housing.
Systemic discrimination further compounds these challenges. Racialized individuals, newcomers, and families with children face additional barriers when seeking housing, while people with disabilities often experience discrimination both in securing and maintaining rental housing. Some individuals also face specific forms of exclusion; for example, those who require medical cannabis for chronic pain may encounter restrictions in non-smoking buildings, limiting their housing options.
Overall, these intersecting factors mean that certain groups, particularly those in rural areas, those facing discrimination, and those with diverse or less visible needs, experience disproportionately severe impacts from the shortage of accessible and affordable housing.
Broader impacts on the lack of accessible housing on society
The lack of accessible and affordable housing has far-reaching impacts across society, extending well beyond housing itself. When people cannot access the right housing and supports at the right time, their health and well-being often decline. Many end up in crisis, relying on emergency healthcare services, experiencing homelessness, or, in the most severe cases, facing premature death. Access to appropriate housing is a key social determinant of health, and without it, outcomes across physical and mental health worsen significantly.
Housing is a foundational need that underpins participation in all aspects of daily life. Without stable, suitable housing, it is extremely difficult for individuals to pursue education, maintain employment, or engage in their communities. In this way, housing acts as a gateway to broader social and economic inclusion; when it is lacking, exclusion is compounded.
The impacts are also felt in other systems, such as transportation and community planning. For example, in regions where people with disabilities are more likely to live in rural areas, limited accessible transportation options can further isolate individuals, particularly when housing is not located near services. Even when new transit options are introduced, they are not always designed to meet the needs of people in rural or remote communities.
Limited housing availability also forces people to live in areas they would not otherwise choose, often far from their support networks, services, or places of work. This can weaken social connections, increase isolation, and require individuals to deprioritize important aspects of their lives, including community engagement and relationships.
Ultimately, the broader impact is a cycle of reduced quality of life, increased pressure on healthcare and social systems, and missed opportunities for inclusive economic and community participation. Investing in accessible and affordable housing is therefore not only a housing issue; it is essential to building healthier, more inclusive, and more resilient communities.
System-wide gaps and need for government coordination
Canada’s progress on the right to housing for persons with disabilities continues to be constrained by systemic gaps and fragmented government action that are inconsistent with its obligations under the
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), particularly Article 19 (living independently and being included in the community) and Article 28 (adequate standard of living and social protection).
A central barrier is the lack of coordination across federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal systems. While federal investments seek to increase housing supply, these are not consistently aligned with provincial responsibilities for health and social services. As a result, accessible and affordable housing is often developed without the attendant care required to make it livable. This disconnect undermines Article 19, as individuals cannot live independently despite the existence of housing. Many remain in hospitals as Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patients or are placed in long-term care due to a lack of community-based options - outcomes that are more costly and inconsistent with a rights-based approach.
Affordability remains a critical gap. Without consistent use of RGI and with disability income supports across Canada falling well below the poverty line, many “affordable” units are still unattainable. Uneven definitions of affordability across programs (e.g., RGI versus below-market rent) further exacerbate inequities, meaning people may face higher costs simply based on the program attached to their unit. Households with complex or multiple income sources, and those facing high disability-related expenses such as medication, often fall through the cracks of rigid eligibility systems, limiting access to even subsidized housing.
Policy fragmentation contributes to inefficiency and inequity. Housing, health, accessibility standards, and income supports operate as a patchwork of programs that do not effectively connect. Accessibility standards (such as CSA/ASC) are often voluntary or inconsistently applied, and there is limited coordination between national, provincial/territorial, and municipal building codes. Existing housing stock remains largely inaccessible, while new builds do not consistently embed Universal Design. Additionally, accessible housing policy often fails to account for diverse household needs, such as multi-unit dwellings suitable for families, including newcomer families using mobility devices, resulting in an overrepresentation of studio and one-bedroom accessible units.
Significant administrative and systemic barriers also limit access. Systems are often overwhelming and paper-heavy, requiring individuals to navigate complex, duplicative applications, long waitlists, and invasive eligibility processes. Many applications are primarily online, creating barriers for individuals without reliable access to technology. Because housing systems are often municipally administered, there are substantial regional variations; individuals who move must reapply and relearn entirely new systems. Programs such as home adaptation and modification funding are not consistently available across jurisdictions, further contributing to inequity.
People with disabilities also face discrimination within the housing market. Landlords may refuse applicants based on their source of income, including disability benefits. Some policies and program rules unintentionally exclude people; for example, strict limits on the amount of supportive care provided in certain jurisdictions can prevent individuals from accessing independent living programs unless they can privately pay for additional services, effectively tying access to housing to ability and/or financial means rather than need.
Program design can further restrict mobility and choice. In some cases, subsidies are tied to units rather than individuals, preventing people from relocating without losing affordability. Time-limited or one-time supports undermine long-term stability. At the same time, under-resourced enforcement systems, such as landlord and tenant boards, leave individuals vulnerable to renovictions and the loss of accessible, affordable housing they rely on.
Importantly, these gaps are compounded by a lack of meaningful inclusion of people with lived and living experience of disability in policy and program design. Without their leadership, systems risk continuing to create barriers rather than remove them.
Actions and solutions
Making meaningful progress on the right to accessible housing for people with disabilities in Canada requires a coordinated, rights-based approach led by the federal government in partnership with provinces, territories, municipalities, and communities. This effort must align with Canada’s commitments under the CRPD and prioritize integrated, person-centered solutions.
At the system level, governments must better align housing, health, and social service funding to ensure that accessible homes are paired with the supports required for independent living (CRPD Article 19). Investments in housing supply must embed true affordability, including RGI models, so that people with disabilities (many of whom rely on inadequate income supports) can realistically access and sustain housing (Article 28). Strengthening income supports is essential to addressing the structural affordability gap.
A critical priority is advancing mandatory, harmonized accessibility standards across Canada. Embedding Universal Design principles into national and provincial building codes would ensure that all new housing is flexible, inclusive, and usable across the lifespan, eliminating costly retrofits and making accessibility the norm rather than the exception. Initiatives such as Build Canada Homes should require these standards, supported by strong enforcement. At the same time, expanding funding for home modifications and ensuring consistent access across jurisdictions will help address the limitations of existing housing stock.
Governments should also leverage innovation in construction, including prefabricated, modular, and other modern building methods, to rapidly increase the supply of accessible housing designed from the outset with Universal Design in mind. Supporting builders, architects, and contractors through training and incentives will help build sector-wide expertise and reduce costs, ensuring accessibility is not treated as a niche or prohibitively expensive specialization.
Equally important is ensuring that accessible housing is integrated into communities. Establishing targets, such as a minimum percentage of accessible homes in every neighbourhood, would promote choice, inclusion, and access to services, while enabling service providers to operate more efficiently across geographic areas. Accessible units must also reflect diverse household needs, including larger, family-sized units.
To address persistent fragmentation, governments must implement coordinated planning mechanisms across all levels and sectors: a “map and plan” approach that considers the full spectrum of housing, health, and social needs. This includes sustained investment in supportive housing and assisted living services, with long-term operational funding to ensure these models are viable.
Systems must also become easier to navigate. Streamlining and standardizing application processes, reducing administrative burden, and providing non-digital access options are critical to ensuring equitable access. Establishing a single, coordinated point of entry or navigation support, potentially supported by professionals such as occupational therapists, would help individuals access housing, supports, and home modifications more effectively.
Policy reforms should also promote portability of benefits, allowing individuals to move without losing affordability or supports, and should strengthen tenant protections and enforcement capacity to ensure housing stability. Addressing discrimination in the rental market and ensuring accessible units remain available (rather than being converted when not filled) will require targeted policy and regulatory action, including making these units genuinely affordable.
Finally, meaningful progress depends on embedding lived and living experience in decision-making. People with disabilities must be actively involved in designing, implementing, and evaluating housing policies and programs to ensure they reflect real needs and lived realities.
Ultimately, advancing accessible housing in Canada requires sustained, coordinated action across these areas. By integrating policy, funding, and design, and grounding decisions in human rights and living experience, governments and communities can create a more inclusive housing system that enables people with disabilities to live independently, participate fully, and thrive in their communities.
Supplementary reports and submissions
About March of Dimes Canada
March of Dimes Canada (MODC) is a leading national charity committed to championing equity, empowering ability, and creating real change that will help people with disabilities across the country unlock the richness of their lives.
Together with our partners, we serve, connect, and empower people with disabilities to participate fully in life and in their communities on their own terms. Our work is grounded in the voices of the people we serve, built on a foundation of service, and backed by more than 75 years of success.
We’ve proven time and again our dedication to serving the needs of people with disabilities. Born in one of the 20th century’s greatest public health crises, we know that seemingly impossible goals can be achieved, and barriers can be broken. In the 1950s, MODC helped fund a vaccine for polio. Now, we are working on creating communities in which people with disabilities can live and thrive nationwide.
We’re proud to support people with disabilities across Canada, from the early years to seniors. Our services extend beyond the individual to families who feel the impact of disability in different ways. Their collective experiences play a critical role in shaping our work as a service provider, resource, and advocate, which is focused in four areas:
- The best start for children, youth, and families.
- Independence at home and in the community.
- Active, healthy, connected lives.
- Financial security.
These are the things people with disabilities told us they need, want, and expect out of life.
Our staff and volunteers are allies, supporters, and champions committed to making a difference for people with disabilities. With the guidance of our community, and working together with our donors and partners, we provide the tools and support our service users need to live independently, improve their health and wellness, and thrive in all they aspire to do.
