Community Dashboard: Core housing need
Source: ,2021A000011124&GENDERlist=1,,2,,3&STATISTIClist=1,,4&HEADERlist=20, Core housing need, 2021 census
Rationale and analysis
Why this measurement is important
Outlines the proportion of the resident population that is living in a dwelling that is considered unsuitable, inadequate or unaffordable.
How we measure this data
As outlined by Statistics Canada:
Core housing need refers to whether a private household's housing falls below at least one of the indicator thresholds for housing adequacy, affordability or suitability, and would have to spend 30% or more of its total before‑tax income to pay the median rent of alternative local housing that is acceptable
Progress and advancements
According to Census Canada Niagara Regions core housing need has improved from the 2016 census, and has since fallen to 10.3%. It is still higher than the national average of 10.1%, it is lower than the provincial average of 12.1%. However, this data was calculated during a time that a national temporary income benefit was being provided to low income households during the pandemic. Therefore, it is presumed that the 2021 core housing need percentage is artificially low.
About this indicator
A household is said to be in 'core housing need' if its housing falls below at least one of the adequacy, affordability or suitability standards and it would have to spend 30 per cent or more of its total before-tax income to pay the median rent of alternative local housing that is acceptable (meets all three housing standards).
Housing standards are defined as follows:
Adequate housing is reported by their residents as not requiring any major repairs.
Affordable housing has shelter costs equal to less than 30% of total before-tax household income.
Suitable housing has enough bedrooms for the size and composition of resident households according to National Occupancy Standard requirements.
More information
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