This morning, members of the All-Party Anti-Poverty Caucus considered how viewing housing as a human right and taking a ‘housing first’ approach has virtually eliminated homelessness in Finland.

Literally on the doorstep of the National Housing Conference, the Caucus was hearing about effective strategies for tackling homelessness, affordable housing and poverty.

MPs, Senators and community groups met with Teija Ojankoski, CEO, and Juha Kahila, Head of International Affairs, of Finland’s Y-Foundation. They described how their focus on preventing homelessness and creating stable, community-integrated housing has essentially eradicated homelessness on the streets and significantly limited the need for emergency housing shelters and couch surfing.

Finland has adopted a model that focuses on removing barriers to stable housing, while also providing people with a community of support and services that they need—from income supports to healthcare as well as educational and employment opportunities. They also revealed that keeping people housed and preventing homelessness saves their country between 5,000 to 20,000 Euros (approximately $7,000 to $30,000 CAD) per person per year.

“A growing number of Canadians are struggling to keep a roof over their heads,” said MP Sean Casey, a co-chair of the Caucus. “Leaving people in poverty and housing insecurity carries human, social and economic costs of some $80 billion per year for Canada. We need to act.”

“Finland’s visionary leadership and phenomenal success should encourage us to take similar action,” said Senator Kim Pate, a co-chair of the Caucus. “Canadian leaders at the National Housing Conference and beyond need to take bold and decisive action. It is time to stop stigmatizing and blaming people for being homeless. Homelessness and housing precarity is an all of government societal problem which requires concerted and collective action. All of us will benefit when no one is left behind.”