Housing is a basic human need, and in Canada, housing is a human right. The Canadian Human Rights Commission states that the right to adequate housing has been recognized in international law since 1948 and is a shared responsibility of all levels of government. Yet today, finding accessible and affordable housing is still a challenge for many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At Inclusion BC, our advocacy is rooted in a rights-based approach. We work to remove systemic barriers to inclusive housing. This includes our Position Statement on the Right to Housing for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, which provides a clear path for change.
Inclusive housing reflects our values and is guided by these principles:
- Choice: Making decisions that matter to you.
- Control: Having your decisions respected and acted on.
- Independence: Living the best life possible, with the right supports.
- Dignity: Being valued for who you are.
- Diversity: Sharing your gifts, strengths, and talents.
In the past, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were separated from their families and communities. They were placed in large institutions and faced isolation, loss of independence, and systemic neglect. This was not only poor policy; it was a denial of human rights.
Beginning in the 1970s, advocacy efforts by people with disabilities, families, and allies led to a shift toward community living and stronger human rights protections in BC. In 2010, Canada agreed to follow the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The UNCRPD says that people with disabilities have the right to an adequate standard of living, including housing. It also affirms their equal right to choose where to live, live independently, and be included in the community.
When Canada’s first National Housing Strategy was launched in 2017, it committed to a rights-based approach to housing and prioritizing vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities. The strategy also created a Federal Housing Advocate, who defines adequate housing as:
- visitable,
- safe,
- accessible,
- habitable,
- culturally adequate, and
- affordable.
These are not extras. They are essentials.
A rights-based framework for housing in BC is also informed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the BC Human Rights Code, the National Housing Strategy Act, and BC’s commitments under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
But recognition alone is not enough.
As members of the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, we are proud to stand with them in calling on the BC Government to make housing a human right in provincial law. This would create stronger accountability and require government action to address urgent housing challenges and affordability across BC.
Housing is more than a roof over someone’s head. It is the foundation for belonging, safety, and full participation in community life. We call on all levels of government to align a rights-based approach to housing with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and to work together to ensure access to inclusive housing. A rights-based approach means governments must design housing systems that work for everyone, especially people who have been excluded for too long.
Housing is not a privilege; it is a human right that must be upheld.
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