Why inclusion must be built in
Across Canada, housing has become one of the most urgent public policy issues of our time. Rising costs, limited supply and increasing homelessness have pushed governments to act quickly and creatively.
In response, the federal government has placed renewed focus on rapid housing initiatives, higher density builds and innovative living arrangements designed to get homes built faster and people housed sooner. While this momentum is necessary it also carries risks. These risks disproportionately affect marginalized populations, including people with intellectual disabilities.
Speed and creativity in creating housing development are important but must be balanced with care and intention. When the primary goal becomes building as many units as possible, as quickly as possible, the needs and rights of marginalized communities can be overlooked.
For people with intellectual disabilities, this oversight can result in further isolation, segregation and a return to institutional living under a different name.
When inclusion is not a guiding principle, planners may default to grouping people with intellectual disabilities together in specific buildings, units or developments. Without careful planning, segregation can creep back into the system. It can often appear easier or more efficient.
For decades, institutional settings were justified as practical solutions, yet they often stripped people of autonomy, dignity and meaningful participation in community life. While large institutions may be gone, the mindset that supports them can resurface when housing is designed without true inclusion at its core.
People with intellectual disabilities need housing just like everyone else. But housing is more than a roof over one’s head. It is about belonging, choice, safety and community connection.
When people are placed in segregated or clustered housing, they are often separated from the broader community. This separation reinforces harmful, stigmatizing stereotypes and sustains the idea that people with intellectual disabilities do not belong in typical neighbourhoods. Inclusive, scattered housing allows for people to be seen as neighbours, and more likely to be included in community life.
Inclusive housing takes more upfront planning. That is precisely why it is often overlooked during periods of urgency. Segregation can feel like the easier path because there is one service provider, one location and one model. But easy does not mean right.
When we prioritize convenience over inclusion, we risk repeating past mistakes and upholding systems that push people further towards the margins instead of supporting them to thrive.
Organizations such as People First of Canada and Inclusion Canada have long advocated for the right of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live in the community. This means being supported to live in real homes, in ordinary neighbourhoods, with the same choices and opportunities as anyone else.
Living in the community is not a luxury. It is a fundamental human right. Housing policies and developments must reflect this reality.
As Canada moves forward with ambitious housing plans, decision makers must ask critical questions early in the process. Who is this housing for? How will it promote inclusion? Are people with lived experience involved in the planning and design? Being deliberate at the beginning can prevent harm later on.
We absolutely need to build more homes. We need innovative approaches and creative solutions to address the housing crisis. But we can act fast without building segregation into the system.
People with intellectual disabilities deserve housing options that support independence, dignity and full participation in community life.
Inclusive housing benefits all residents. With thoughtful planning, collaboration and a firm commitment to inclusion, Canada can address its housing crisis while upholding the rights of all its citizens – especially those who have been left behind for far too long.
Photo courtesy of COP PARIS, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons, Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure in Canada
