Unaffordable

Episode 1: Housing

• A look at how skyrocketing housing costs have made home-ownership unattainable for many and have pushed an increasing number of people towards poverty. This episode also looks at some of the innovative approaches people in our community are taking towards addressing the need for more affordable housing.

• Topics include: Housing supply and demand, the current rental market and the rise in “renovictions”, municipal housing development strategies, and affordable housing programs developed in the not-for-profit sector.

• Guests include: Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, ACORN Canada representative Jacquie Wells, Mortgage Broker Todd Foster, Licensed Insolvency Trustee Mike Braga, Brantford Landlord Randy Schelhas, and the Director for United Housing of United Way Perth-Huron Kathy Vassilakos.

Episode 2: Food

• Episode two explores the way that inflated food costs have exacerbated the affordability crisis facing Canadians.

• Topics include: Supply chain issues, increased demand on food banks, grocery chain profit and competition, and the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

• Guests include: Food distribution and policy professor Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region CEO Kim Wilhelm, Standing Committee Member and Kitchener Conestoga MP Tim Louis, and TheSeed Guelph CEO Tom Armitage.

Episode 3: Debt & Income

• Episode three concludes the series with a look at how the affordability crisis has led to unprecedented levels of household debt and why Canadians wages have been outpaced by inflation.

• Topics include: Debt, wage increases vs profit increases, living wage.

• Guests include: Ontario Living Wage Network representative Anne Cole, Licensed Insolvency Trustee Mike Braga, Living Wage Employer Stephanie Soulis, Wilfrid Laurier University Professor Ellen Russell.