Bill 47 2008

An Act to establish the right to adequate housing as a universal human right

Preamble

The right to an adequate standard of living, which includes adequate food, clothing and housing, is a universal human right that is recognized by Article 11 (1) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as proclaimed by the United Nations.

Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Purpose

   1.  The purpose of this Act is to recognize that every person has a right to adequate housing.

Definitions

   2.  In this Act,

"adequate housing" means housing that is available at a reasonable cost and that provides adequate shelter, adequate privacy, adequate space, adequate security, adequate lighting and ventilation, adequate basic infrastructure and adequate location with respect to work and basic facilities; ("logement convenable")

"Minister" means the member of the Executive Council to whom administration for this Act is assigned under the Executive Council Act. ("ministre")

Minister's responsibility

   3.  The Minister is responsible for developing and implementing policies that recognize, promote and protect the right to adequate housing.

Government undertaking

   4.  The Government of Ontario undertakes, as far as it considers it reasonable and appropriate to do so,

  (a)  to ensure that adequate housing is accessible to those entitled to it;

  (b)  to provide protection from violations of the right to adequate housing, including forced evictions;

   (c)  to provide housing subsidies for those unable to obtain affordable adequate housing; and

  (d)  to take such other measures as it sees fit to recognize, promote and protect the right to adequate housing.

Advisory committee

   5.  The Minister may establish one or more advisory committees,

  (a)  to consider issues relating to adequate housing and any other matters that the Minister considers appropriate; and

  (b)  to advise the Minister on those issues.

Commencement

   6.  This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

   7.  The short title of this Act is the Right to Housing Act, 2008.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill enacts the Right to Housing Act, 2008, which recognizes that every person has a right to adequate housing.

The Minister is responsible for developing and implementing policies relating to adequate housing.  In addition, the Government of Ontario undertakes to recognize, promote and protect the right to adequate housing.