Countering Policy Exclusions: Centring accessibility to advance the right to housing 

Despite a range of policies, promises, and protections, housing for people with disabilities—and specifically that considers the distinct experiences of women and gender-diverse people with disabilities—remains deeply inadequate in Ontario and across the country. People with disabilities face disproportionate rates of homelessness, housing insecurity, and housing inadequacy, and women with disabilities are especially likely to experience homelessness because of violence or abuse. This creates dangerous consequences when coupled with inadequate housing supports in communities across Ontario, a failure to centre accessibility in efforts to increase housing supply, and grossly inadequate social assistance rates for people with disabilities. This panel of civil society leaders and researchers will explore what is needed to ensure the right to housing for women and gender-diverse people with disabilities across the province. They will also highlight how women and gender-diverse people with disabilities are playing a leadership role in responding to housing failures.  

Panelists  

Mike Greer (he/him) is a disability advocate who works toward more accessible homes, workplaces, and travel opportunities. He has over 10 years of experience in professional sales and sales operations and 10 years of accessibility consulting experience. He has strong relations with all levels of government, private enterprises, and small organizations, and uses public speaking to inform people about the multifaceted nature of accessibility. Mike also speaks from his experience of living with osteogenesis imperfecta. He understands first-hand the challenges faced by others with disabilities, and he wants to amplify the voices of those with disabilities through his experience in universal design, employment, community engagement, and sports and recreation.  

Rosalind (Roz) Gunn (she/her) is the Director of Communications and Advocacy at YWCA Cambridge. She has led its strategic communications, advocacy, and government relations for over six years, advancing progressive policy change at the local, provincial, and national levels. Before joining YWCA, Roz worked in the labour movement and in the post-secondary education sector at George Brown College. She specializes in feminist policy analysis, strategic communications, community organizing, and storytelling. She has executed many marketing and advocacy campaigns, including designing marketing materials and deploying campaigns across all channels. Roz has years of experience with accessibility standards, digital accessibility, and freelance writing and editing. She is the co-author of Women’s Homelessness in Cambridge, a research report exploring the significant service gaps related to women’s homelessness in Cambridge, Ontario.  

Alex Nelson (they/them) is a PhD candidate in Anthropology at Western University. Alex’s research explores gender, homelessness, and housing policy. They examine how gender-diverse people with lived experience of homelessness mobilize their experiences to reform policy. Alex’s academic research and community involvement are deeply informed by their lived experience of homelessness and involvement in the child welfare system, as well as their experiences at the intersection of queerness and disability.  

This event is the second in a series co-hosted by the Live Work Well Research Centre and Dr. Leah Levac’s Canada Research Chair in Critical Community Engagement and Public Policy. The first event, Countering Policy Exclusions: Canada, disability and international commitments, was held on February 27. Watch for future events on the topic of Countering Policy Exclusions.