Not everyone may realize that governments in Canada are obligated to ensure that everyone has adequate housing. However, Canada is a signatory to international human rights treaties that oblige governments to address conditions of poverty, and to ensure that everyone has an adequate standard of living, including adequate housing. The central human rights treaty concerning the right to housing is the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which is known as the “ICESCR.” Canada ratified the ICESCR in 1976. Article 11 of the ICESCR commits governments in Canada to take positive steps to ensure that everyone has an adequate standard of living, including adequate food, clothing, and housing.
The Right to Housing under International Human Rights Law (October 2002) (PDF)
