North Of Fair

Why Communities Can’t Stand Still: Affordable Housing and Ending Single-Family Zoning

Welcome back to the North of Fair podcast on Podbean Live.This episode explains why “standing still” isn’t neutral: keeping the same rules and housing patterns pushes prices up and pushes people out. We define deeply affordable housing, show how single‑family zoning limits supply and access, and explain how modest zoning changes (duplexes, triplexes, backyard homes) can stabilize neighborhoods without erasing character.Listen for practical signs of meaningful change and actions you can take—learn your zoning map, show up to meetings, and push for policies that build homes people can actually afford so communities stay inclusive and functional.
every story we tell is a reminder that no is disposable and no one gets left behind if we want a safer stronger community its starts with seeing each other fully honestly and without fear thanks for listing and remember change doesn't happen somewhere else it happens right here with all of us

the north of fair conversations without barriers

10,000 deeply affordable homes building around a crisis
every story we tell is a reminder that no is disposable and no one gets left behind if we want a safer stronger community its starts with seeing each other fully honestly and without fear thanks for listing and remember change doesn't happen somewhere else it happens right here with all of us

north of fair conversation without barriers

cost of living, food, rent, ODSP, living wage, GST proposal
every story we tell is a reminder that no is disposable and no one gets left behind if we want a safer stronger community its starts with seeing each other fully honestly and without fear thanks for listing and remember change doesn't happen somewhere else it happens right here with all of us

Canada’s Non‑Market Housing Gap: Why 250,000 Deeply Affordable Homes Matter

Today’s episode breaks down non-market housing—co‑ops, social and non‑profit units, and rent‑geared‑to‑income homes—and explains why Canada’s existing stock (roughly 600,000–700,000 units) still leaves a gap of about 250,000 deeply affordable homes.We connect the numbers to real lives: people on ODSP, OW, OAS/GIS, and low‑wage workers face housing instability that market supply alone won’t fix. The episode argues for a durable, mixed approach to build homes priced to incomes, not profits, so people can live with stability and dignity.
every story we tell is a reminder that no is disposable and no one gets left behind if we want a safer stronger community its starts with seeing each other fully honestly and without fear thanks for listing and remember change doesn't happen somewhere else it happens right here with all of us

north of fair conversations without barriers

the pressure point; how London is being squeezed from both sides of a regional crisis
every story we tell is a reminder that no is disposable and no one gets left behind if we want a safer stronger community its starts with seeing each other fully honestly and without fear thanks for listing and remember change doesn't happen somewhere else it happens right here with all of us

From Street Outreach to Central Hubs: Who Gets Left Behind?

This episode examines what happens when cities shift funding from street outreach to a single centralized hub: who benefits, who’s pushed further from help, and the real-life risks when people can’t—or won’t—come through the door. We unpack outreach, drop-ins, shelters and hubs, show how trust, early warning data, and lifesaving contacts vanish when outreach is defunded, and expose the costs that show up in ERs, crises, and lost lives.Listen for practical solutions: keep outreach as essential infrastructure, treat hubs as one node in a network, build low-barrier pathways, and measure success by who gets reached and stabilized, not just who walks in.
every story we tell is a reminder that no is disposable and no one gets left behind if we want a safer stronger community its starts with seeing each other fully honestly and without fear thanks for listing and remember change doesn't happen somewhere else it happens right here with all of us

Homelessness: Beyond the Stereotypes, Toward Real Solutions

Homelessness isn’t a single story — it’s a mix of invisible struggles caused by rising rents, job loss, medical bills, and gaps in our systems. This episode breaks the stereotype, explains how losing housing compounds other problems, and exposes why criminalizing people living outside doesn’t work.We explore proven approaches like Housing First, prevention and supportive housing, and coordinated services, and offer practical ways listeners can help—from supporting local groups and policies to treating people with dignity. The takeaway: homelessness is solvable when systems change and communities act.
every story we tell is a reminder that no is disposable and no one gets left behind if we want a safer stronger community its starts with seeing each other fully honestly and without fear thanks for listing and remember change doesn't happen somewhere else it happens right here with all of us

north of fair conversations without barriers

Sovereignty, Separatism, and the two tracks of power
every story we tell is a reminder that no is disposable and no one gets left behind if we want a safer stronger community its starts with seeing each other fully honestly and without fear thanks for listing and remember change doesn't happen somewhere else it happens right here with all of us