Building

• Housing prices have increased at double the rate of income growth over the past two decades.
• To cope with housing affordability issues, people are increasingly “doubling up” with others and living in overcrowded housing.

Investing in subsidized housing

• Many academics, policymakers, stakeholders and the media have emphasized the need for more subsidized housing units to tackle this crisis.
• For example, in the city of Toronto, the wait time for a one-bedroom subsidized housing unit is 14 years.

National Housing Strategy

The federal government is taking steps to address Canada’s housing affordability crisis by implementing the National Housing Strategy. It has pledged to invest $82 billion to increase affordable housing. Roughly 25 to 33 per cent of these funds will be allocated to address the unmet housing needs of women and children. The implementation of the National Housing Strategy has raised two important questions:
To what extent does access to subsidized housing improve housing circumstances for Canadians?
What groups benefit the most from having access to subsidized housing?

Access to subsidized housing

• To address these questions, our study investigates how living in subsidized housing affects children’s exposure to unaffordable and overcrowded housing.
• Regardless of their family structure, children in subsidized housing are less likely than those in non-subsidized housing to experience housing affordability issues.
• Conversely, the pattern of variation in children’s exposure to overcrowded housing according to their access to subsidized housing differs markedly between children in two-parent and other families.

Who benefits the most?

• This compares with 65 per cent of children in two-parent families and 45 per cent of children in single-father families.
• This compares with six per cent for children in single-father homes and 15 per cent for children without resident parents.

Implications for housing policy

• It must rapidly build more subsidized housing units.
• In doing so, the government can reduce the wait times for subsidized housing and offer more units to those with high levels of housing vulnerability.
• Ottawa should also aim to better understand the needs of those in subsidized housing and build units that address these needs.

Kate Choi receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

• Belden Inc. (NYSE: BDC), a leading global supplier of network infrastructure and digitization solutions, is excited to unveil its new state-of-the-art healthcare solutions showcase: the Enhanced Patient Experience showcase.
• Housed within Belden’s Chicago Customer Innovation Center and led by in-house healthcare experts, this reimagination of healthcare allows industry professionals to see up close how a smart, connected healthcare environment transforms patient satisfaction, facility operations and staff engagement and retention.
• Tomorrow’s healthcare delivery will be centered on integration, personalization and digitization—all to deliver timely, effective, patient-centered care; manage lean resources and rising costs; and create a safer environment.
• “Belden is leading change within the healthcare landscape,” says Sean McCarthy, vice-president of Smart Buildings sales at Belden, “and our Enhanced Patient Experience showcase reveals how today’s healthcare leaders can prepare for and respond to disruptions and challenges through innovation.”
  To learn more about Belden’s Enhanced Patient Experience showcase and attending Becker’s Healthcare Annual Meeting, visit https://www.belden.com/Healthcare-Showcase .

• NewSouth Window Solutions , part of the PGT Innovations (NYSE: PGTI) family of brands, recently unveiled the first phase of its new streamlined website, with features aimed at enhancing customer convenience, satisfaction, and connection to the brand.
• View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240325304405/en/
  New website for NewSouth Window Solutions (Graphic: Business Wire)
  New features to the site include location-specific pages in order to provide a better user experience.
• “The recent redesign of our website was inspired by our commitment of offering a more personalized and engaging user experience,” said McKenna Tanski, Marketing Manager for NewSouth Window Solutions.
• “The updated appearance and richer content for our customers truly embodies the NewSouth Window Solutions brand.”

• It is long overdue for Equity Commonwealth to undergo a complete liquidation of its remaining assets and return the cash to shareholders.
• Private market pricing for the property types EQC is targeting, industrial warehouses and residential, remain full.
• Based on the foregoing, we believe Equity Commonwealth should immediately announce a complete liquidation of its remaining assets and return the cash to shareholders.
• While Land & Buildings hopes the Board will take immediate action, we will not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to maximize value for all shareholders of the Company.