Claim OwnershipOn The Way Home
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© On The Way Home Podcast
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On the Way Home is a podcast that brings together the voices and issues involved in ending homelessness in Canada.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
265 Episodes
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In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly speaks with Brian Doucet about why solving the housing crisis requires more than simply building more market housing. Drawing from his research and his film Thinking Beyond the Market, Brian explains what non-market housing means in practice, why preserving existing affordable homes is as critical as creating new supply, and what Canada can do right now. He explores how displacement affects real families and communities, why housing cannot be separated from transportation and city planning, and highlights examples of solutions already working across Canada. Brian leaves listeners with practical ways governments, communities, and individuals can help push toward a more inclusive and genuinely affordable housing system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly speaks with Michelle Parisien, Director of Tenant Experience Operations at Ottawa Community Housing, about how thoughtful system design drives stronger tenant outcomes and healthier frontline teams. Michelle explains why service delivery models matter more than structure and organizational charts, how Lean principles can be applied in a people-centered public service environment, and how leaders can balance consistency with flexibility in complex housing systems. She shares real examples of how redesigning systems can outperform individual effort, reflects on preventing burnout while improving service quality, and offers practical guidance for leaders seeking to move from reactive mode toward continuous improvement and shared accountability. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly sits with Mark Aston, CEO of Covenant House Toronto, to talk about youth homelessness in Toronto and what it truly takes to respond with care and hope. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, Mark shares why youth homelessness is fundamentally different from adult homelessness, what young people need to rebuild their lives, and where systems still fall short. Grounded in respect, compassion, and unconditional support, this conversation is a powerful reminder that listening to our young people and meeting them where they are can change lives and help create real pathways home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What happens when Canadian housing leaders step inside a system that has effectively ended chronic homelessness? In this episode of On the Way Home, Mohamed Abdallah and Carolina Ibarra share reflections from the 2025 Helsinki Study Tour, exploring Finland’s coordinated Housing First approach, integrated supportive services, and long-term political commitment to housing as infrastructure. Through personal moments, policy insights, and practical observations, the conversation examines what truly sets Finland apart, and what lessons are most transferable to the Canadian context as we work toward more coordinated, humane, and effective housing systems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What does tenant experience really mean when you’re responsible for more than 30,000 people? In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly sits down with Alain Cadieux, Vice President of Tenant Experience and Quality Assurance at Ottawa Community Housing, to explore how large housing systems can deliver consistent, high-quality, human-centred services at scale. Alain shares how responsible technology and artificial intelligence are reducing administrative burden for staff, improving service quality for tenants, and helping housing systems shift from reactive to proactive, while staying grounded in the human connection at the heart of housing. Here is the link to the report Alain shares will be helpful to listeners who are interested. View here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dr. Prentiss Dantzler is Associate Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of the Housing Justice Lab at the University of Toronto, whose research and advocacy explore the deep structural forces shaping neighbourhood change, racial discrimination, and housing inequity across North America. Dr. Dantzler traces his journey into housing justice, examines how homeownership has evolved into a powerful cultural ethos tied to wealth and mobility, and explains the consequences of relying on asset-based welfare systems. He discusses how discrimination continues to appear in contemporary housing markets, the uneven impacts of displacement on low-income and racialized communities, and the ways residents are reclaiming space through community organizing. He also shares the structural shifts needed to move toward true housing justice and reflects on what gives him hope as the movement grows across cities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly sits down with physician and health-policy leader Andrew Boozary to explore what it looks like when housing is treated not as a social add-on, but as a core health-care intervention. Through the lens of Dunn House, a groundbreaking model built on land donated by the University Health Network and led in partnership with Fred Victor and a broad team of community, housing, and health providers, the conversation examines shifting care upstream, measuring outcomes beyond traditional clinical metrics, and designing integrated systems that respond to the real drivers of health. With compelling data, lived experience, and deep credit to the frontline teams who made it possible, this episode offers a clear and hopeful case for why housing and health must be treated as one system, and why models like Dunn House and housing are the future Canada must now scale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode of On the Way Home, we sit down with Heather Tremain, Executive Director of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto Development Society, whose career spans architecture, sustainable development, nonprofit transformation, and impact investing. Heather shares what “home” means to her, the journey that led her into social-purpose real estate, and why the renewal of co-op housing is so urgently needed today. She reflects on the often-underestimated strengths of the nonprofit sector, lessons from delivering nearly 900 homes at Options for Homes, the complexities of scaling affordable homeownership, and how strong cross-sector partnerships, from private developers to impact investors, can move solutions forward. Heather also explores the balance between sustainability and affordability, the policy shifts that could unlock progress, and the reasons she remains hopeful about the future of co-ops and nonprofit-led housing across Canada. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly is joined by Cliff Youdale, Chief Development Officer at Ottawa Community Housing, to discuss what it takes to steward and modernize more than $4 billion in community housing assets while planning for the future of supportive housing. Drawing on over 30 years of experience as a professional engineer, Cliff shares how preventative maintenance, capital repair, and green initiatives work together to keep housing stable for tenants, and how innovative partnerships like the BumbleBee Initiative are accelerating supportive housing by combining public land, development expertise, and integrated health and social supports. Cliff highlights how this approach is not only reshaping outcomes in Ottawa but may also offer a compelling possibility model for other communities looking to strengthen their housing continuum and reduce homelessness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of On the Way Home, we speak with Adam Mongrain, Director of Housing Policy at Vivre en Ville, whose systems-oriented approach to the housing crisis raises provocative questions and challenges some of the assumptions that dominate today’s debates. Adam shares his unconventional journey from software development into housing policy, unpacks the distinction between cost problems and price problems, and explores how misdiagnosing these dynamics may be holding Canada back. He discusses his belief that building a broad public movement must come before asking politicians or households to make sacrifices, makes the case for a national rental registry, and reflects on lessons learned from working across research, planning, nonprofit development, and the co-op movement. Throughout the conversation, Adam offers thought-provoking perspectives, including some that push listeners to reconsider long-held narratives about ownership, equity, and reform and closes by sharing what gives him hope and where he sees the greatest opportunity for meaningful change in Canada’s housing future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Toronto’s housing system is at a breaking point. With home prices now nine times median income and purpose-built rental development stalled, we are losing fifteen older affordable units for every one new home built. Two-thirds of the GTHA workforce spend more than 30% of their income on housing. A strain that threatens families, employers, and Ontario’s economic future. To shift from crisis to construction, we must rethink how affordable housing is financed. In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy sits down with Mwarigha, Vice President of Housing Growth, Development & Asset Sustainability at WoodGreen Community Services to explore the concept of the Affordable Housing Investment Fund, a province-wide, Ontario-backed investment vehicle designed to unlock upfront capital and bring institutional investment back into affordable rental development. Developed in partnership with BILDGTA, FRPO, ONPHA and Arcadis, AHIF has the potential to de-risk projects, accelerate approvals, and support the creation of high-quality mixed-income, sustainable communities across Ontario, so that we can build a housing system that works for everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week Emmy sits down with Adrienne Pacini (Partner, SHS Consulting) and Carolyn Whitzman (Adjunct Professor and Senior Housing Researcher) to explore what it really takes to scale affordable and non-market housing in Canada. From regional portfolio approaches and innovation labs to financing models and data-driven collaboration, this episode dives deep into practicalities and partnerships that can move us from pilot projects to sustained impact and what gives these housing leaders hope for the road ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we sit down with Dr. Nick Falvo, researcher, policy expert, and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal on Homelessness. Drawing from more than a decade of frontline experience, Nick offers a grounded look at what Canada can realistically achieve right now: from defining meaningful short-term goals and strengthening supportive housing, to improving federal funding models and ensuring smaller communities aren’t left behind. He also highlights non-profit innovation and shares what we’re doing right which gives him hope for the future of housing and homelessness in Canada. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly chats with Heather McDonald, President and CEO of United Way Greater Toronto, to explore her first 6 months in the role, United Way Greater Toronto's ambitious 10-year strategy, and insights from the new Built for Good report. Together, they unpack barriers slowing down affordable housing, where urgent action is needed, and how community organizations, governments, and non-profits can work "first and fast" together to build stronger, more connected communities across the GTA. A powerful conversation about leadership, collaboration, and the path forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week with On the Way Home, we’re joined by Ray Sullivan, Executive Director of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA), one of the country’s leading voices for non-market and community housing. With over 25 years in the field, Ray shares how the sector has evolved, what opportunities lie ahead and why research and collaboration are key to shaping a truly affordable housing system. Tune in as we explore the future of community housing in Canada and how, together, we can build a country where everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Finland has boldly embraced Housing First to drastically reduce homelessness. On this episode of On the Way Home, we’re joined by Juha Kahila, Head of International Affairs at the Y-Foundation, to explore how Finland moved from emergency shelters to permanent housing as a national standard. Juha shares the story behind this systems-level shift, the role of collaboration across sectors, and the key lessons other countries, particularly Canada, can take from Finland’s experience. Together, we reflect on what must be true for a “society that works” one where no one is left without a home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, we explore how the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is helping make homes more affordable and sustainable across Ontario. Featuring Arwa Sayyadi, Program Advisor for Community Program Performance, we look at how initiatives like the Energy Affordability Program and Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program are reaching low-income households and non-profit housing providers. From lowering utility bills to supporting climate goals, listeners can understand programs that can support both energy efficiency and housing affordability to make a difference in our communities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of On the Way Home, we sit down with Leilani Farha, Global Director of The Shift and former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, to explore how housing has become one of the defining human rights issues of our time. Leilani unpacks the global forces driving financialization, the connections between housing and the climate crisis, and what it will take to reclaim homes as places of dignity and security - not investment assets. From her UN advocacy to her film PUSH and podcast PUSHBACK Talks, Leilani shares a bold and hopeful vision for shifting housing systems toward justice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode of On the Way Home, Emmy Kelly is joined by Jacob Gorenkoff, founder of Homeward Public Affairs, and Kimberley Meijer, a consultant known for her ability to turn complex data into clear, compelling stories. Together, they explore how housing and homelessness leaders can navigate new national initiatives, communicate their impact effectively, and build strong partnerships across sectors. This episode offers practical insights for anyone working to create more inclusive, sustainable housing solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Emmy speaks with Marie-Josée Houle, Canada’s first Federal Housing Advocate. Recently reappointed, Marie-Josée reflects on the progress and persistent gaps in realizing housing as a human right, drawing on her experience in frontline service, housing co-ops, research, and federal advocacy. She brings sharp insights on issues like encampments, the financialization of housing, and the distinct challenges facing Indigenous communities, always centering the voices of those most impacted by the crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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