Canadian Centre for Housing Rights - CCHR
Share
Advancing the right to housing in Canada so that everyone has an adequate, accessible and affordable place to call home.
The Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) was founded in 1987 as the only organization in Canada with a primary focus on promoting human rights in housing. Thirty-five years later, we continue to carry out our mandate through direct tenant support, public education, research, law reform, casework, test case litigation and using international human rights law and mechanisms. We advance the right to housing by serving renters to help them stay housed, providing education and training about housing rights, and advancing rights-based housing policy through research, policy development, advocacy and litigation. Every year, we provide much needed supports to hundreds of renters facing eviction and human rights issues in their housing. We also provide education on housing law, human rights and eviction prevention to a variety of audiences, including vulnerable renters, housing providers and service providers. As we continue to serve clients to help them stay housed and educate housing providers about their responsibilities, we are also compiling research and data to ignite public action and encourage decision makers at municipal, provincial and national levels to implement the right to housing for all. This work includes engaging in strategic litigation as a means to advance rights-based housing policy where traditional avenues of policy advocacy may not be effective. The Canadian Centre for Housing Rights’ presence is expanding to all corners of the country through our partnerships at municipal, regional, provincial and national levels, as we work to build and nurture coalitions to advance the right to housing movement in Canada. Our work also extends beyond our national borders, and we continue supporting efforts to advance the right to housing at the international level, as we have for over three decades.
09/22/2026
Ontario’s rental rules changed this week. What does that mean for tenants?
From no-fault evictions and renovictions to rent arrears and eviction proceedings, several changes could affect how tenants exercise their rights.
We’re breaking down what changed and why it matters.
https://ow.ly/43hS50ZQllV
09/18/2026
CCHR is proud to be a research partner on “Addressing Barriers: Gaps in Housing Accessibility for Deaf and DeafBlind People,” a new three-year national research project led by Deaf Accessibility Strategies.
Together with the Deaf Barrier-Free Housing Coalition and Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility, the project will gather lived experiences from Deaf and DeafBlind people across Canada to identify gaps in housing accessibility and help inform future recommendations and accessibility standards.
CCHR is proud to bring our housing-rights expertise to this important work alongside partners bringing Deaf lived experience and accessibility knowledge.
The project is made possible with funding from Accessibility Standards Canada and the Government of Canada.
Read the media release: https://ow.ly/h1uK50ZPews
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTdp1tzaPvw
09/08/2026
More renters in Manitoba are getting rent control protections, and sustained advocacy helped move the needle.
Beginning January 1, 2027, the rent-control exemption threshold will rise from $1,670 to $2,000 per month, bringing thousands more rental units under Manitoba’s rent regulation system.
This is welcome progress. It also shows why continued advocacy for stronger renter protections matters.
For years, the Right to Housing Coalition, local tenant advocates and CCHR have been pushing for changes to Manitoba’s rent regulations. The Coalition continues to call on the province to go further, including strengthening protections around above-guideline rent increases and ensuring all tenants are protected by rent regulation, regardless of the rent they pay and the age of their unit.
CCHR’s Senior Policy and Outreach Advisor, Yutaka Dirks spoke with the Winnipeg Free Press about what the announcement means for renters and why the work continues.
Read the story: https://ow.ly/5cMj50ZKKIy
08/14/2026
The cost of renting doesn't stop at the monthly rent cheque.
Unexpected utility bills, illegal fees, rent increases and unclear lease terms can all put additional financial pressure on tenants. That's why understanding your rights before signing a lease matters.
Our Legal Services Team Lead, Ademofe Oye-Adeniran, spoke with the Toronto Star about the hidden costs of renting, what landlords can and cannot charge, and the importance of reading lease agreements carefully before signing.
Read the story:
https://ow.ly/fUJz50ZzXfx
08/10/2026
New housing investments matter, but so does who those homes are built for.
As governments work to address Canada's housing crisis, new housing must be affordable, accessible and grounded in human rights.
Our latest blog responds to the federal government's recent housing announcement and highlights the importance of embedding a rights-based approach in Canada's housing policies and programs.
Read the full response: https://ow.ly/NVYg50ZycfG
07/29/2026
Why is safe, affordable and accessible housing still out of reach for many disabled people in British Columbia?
The answer isn't a single barrier. It's many.
From the shortage of accessible homes and long waitlists to unaffordable housing, limited universal design, systemic discrimination and the absence of a centralized housing registry, disabled people continue to face multiple barriers to finding a home that meets their needs.
Access Denied explores these challenges and outlines opportunities to build a housing system where accessibility and affordability go hand in hand.
📖 Read the white paper: https://ow.ly/oHf650ZuqHN
07/23/2026
A home isn't truly accessible if it's unaffordable. And it isn't truly affordable if it doesn't meet your needs.
Developed by researchers from the University of Winnipeg, Procne Navigation and the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights, 'Access Denied: Confronting the Accessible and Affordable Housing Crisis for Disabled People in British Columbia' examines the challenges disabled people face in finding housing that is both accessible and affordable, while identifying opportunities to build more inclusive housing systems.
Drawing on research and lived experiences, the paper reinforces an urgent reality: accessibility and affordability must go hand in hand to realize the right to housing.
📖 Read the white paper: https://ow.ly/62GS50Zs3em
07/15/2026
As temperatures continue to rise across the country, conversations about safe and healthy housing must include protections against extreme heat.
In a recent interview with CBC Manitoba, CCHR's Director of Client Services, Lee Webb, spoke about the role housing standards can play in protecting tenants during heatwaves.
Extreme heat events are becoming more frequent and ensuring that rental homes remain safe and habitable must be part of the conversation about housing rights.
Read the full CBC Manitoba story: https://ow.ly/X7ym50ZnVyq
07/14/2026
🎉We're excited to welcome a new chapter at the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights.
The Canadian Centre for Housing Rights is pleased to welcome Jordan Gray as our new Executive Director, effective July 27.
Jordan brings 15 years of community‑based advocacy, policy development, and strategic leadership, shaped by work at every level of government in Canada as well as meaningful leadership roles across the nonprofit and charitable sector.
He joins CCHR from Indigenous Services Canada, where he expanded government‑backed loan securities for First Nations social housing and led national operations for the First Nations On‑Reserve Housing Program, supporting the housing needs of more than 600 First Nations communities across Canada.
Jordan’s career reflects a deep commitment to human-rights-centered, community-driven housing work, shaped by lived experience and key leadership roles such as those with the Mississauga Affordable Housing Coalition. Jordan is also a demonstrated not-for-profit leader serving on the Boards of Imagine Canada and Indigenous Youth Roots, where he helped strengthen governance, support senior leaders, and build the organizational conditions for long-term stability and impact.
We look forward to the insight, leadership, and passion Jordan will bring to advancing the right to housing for all. Please join us in welcoming Jordan Gray to the CCHR community!
As we welcome Jordan, we'd also like to extend our sincere thanks to Mathieu Pierre Dagonas for his leadership as Acting Executive Director throughout this period of transition. During his tenure, Mathieu provided executive leadership and organizational stability while working closely with the Board of Directors to support the recruitment of the organization's next Executive Director.
Read our press release - https://ow.ly/RR2m50ZnpIS
07/07/2026
70% of Canadian renters say high rent prices are their biggest challenge.
That should stop us in our tracks.
The latest Spring 2026 Renter Preference Survey from Rentals.ca reinforces what many renters across Canada already know: affordability continues to dominate the rental experience. While rents may be stabilizing in some markets, they're still out of reach for many households.
As conversations around housing policy continue across the country, these findings are another reminder that improving affordability must remain a priority.
Read the survey here: https://rentals.ca/blog/spring-2026-renter-preference-survey
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Category
Telephone
Website
Address
192 Spadina Avenue #323
Toronto, ON
M5T2C2