EXPONENTIAL #POPULATION GROWTH DRIVES #HOUSING' #CRISIS

 SUSTAINABILITY FOR ALL

CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF OVERPOPULATION

Human population is growing exponentially. What will this mean in the future?

Fewer than 800 million people populated the Earth in the mid-18th Century. Today, barely 250 years later, we are more than 7.7 billion and will continue growing until 2050 by at least another 2 billion.

Taking into account the fact that human beings appeared on Earth more than four million years ago, what happened in our recent history for the number of inhabitants on the planet to start multiplying exponentially? The tipping point was generally accepted to be the Industrial Revolution, but there are many smaller revolutions that contributed to population take-off which have brought the planet to its current dangerous overpopulation: revolutions that are medical, technological, agricultural, financial, transport and demographical in nature, among others.

MORE POPULATION DEGRADES RESOURCES RAPIDLY

        MIT - ECONOMIC COLLAPSE  IMMINENT

Asia, the world's most populous continent

About 61 % of the global population live in Asia, the world's most populous continent. China alone is home to 1.44 billion people and India to 1.39 billion, accounting for 19 % and 18 % of the world's population respectively.

Overpopulated areas face many challenges, most of which stem from the impact of climate change or human overexploitation of natural resources, but a recent study published by Nature Communications points to rising sea levels as one of the greatest dangers. According to this study, coastal areas currently inhabited by 300 million people are set to experience annual flooding by 2050, unless measures are taken to hold back the water — a figure three times higher than previous estimates.

Asia is the area at greatest risk of flooding due to climate change, due to its very low-lying land and overpopulation. Of the 300 million people at risk, 237 million live in six countries: Bangladesh, India, China, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

The Indonesian capital of Jakarta, along with its suburbs, is currently home to over 30 million people and it is expected to be entirely submerged by 2050; the Indonesian government is therefore considering moving their capital elsewhere. The main reason for this is the continuous extraction of groundwater, which is speeding up the rate at which the city is sinking.

Do you want to know what causes overpopulation?

 

Causes of overpopulation

It took hundreds of years to reach one billion inhabitants, yet in little over two centuries this figure multiplied sevenfold. Why? There are a series of factors that favored the spectacular growth:

 

• Falling mortality rate, mainly due to medicine: the Industrial Revolution brought with it a revolution in the world of medicine. Scientific progress allowed us, from then onward, to overcome diseases that previously could only end in death. The invention of vaccines and discovery of antibiotics such as penicillin saved thousands of lives and were a key factor in unfettered population growth. As the number of annual deaths fell, while births remained constant, so the population increased.

 

• Progress in food production: for its part, scientific research and technological improvements saw more efficient agricultural production, resulting in year-round crops, more resistant seeds, pesticides, and so on…. aspects that Malthus had not taken into account when putting forth his catastrophic theory condemning the human race to disappear. Improvements In fishing and livestock methods also contributed to the provision of more food with which to nourish the population.

 

• Migration and urban concentration: in certain countries, the impact of migration and accumulation of the population in cities was very important, but not only with respect to demographic growth, but also in relation to wealth generation. Currently, over half the global population live in cities of more than 300,000 inhabitants and which are expected to continuing growing until they reach 70% of the population. 

Over the past 200 years, the global population has multiplied sevenfold #Overpopulation

Tweet

 WE FACE A HUGE PROBLEM

Effects of overpopulation

What does this constant growth mean? There are several direct consequences of overpopulation:

• Exhaustion of natural resources: the main effect of overpopulation is the unequal and unrestrained use of resources. The planet has a limited capacity to generate raw materials and each year the natural resources deficit – the consumption of resources at a faster rate than the planet is able to generate them – is reached earlier. Consequently, in developing countries, overpopulation causes fierce rivalries to control resources. Territorial conflicts over water supply are due in many cases to geopolitical tensions and can end in war.

 

• Environmental degradation: unbridled use of natural resources, as well as growth in energy production from coal, oil and natural gas (fossil fuels) is having a negative impact on the planet. Consequences number, on the one hand, deforestation and desertification, extinction of animal and plant species and changes in the water cycle and the most direct consequence of all in the form of emissions of large quantities of greenhouse gases leading to global warming.

 

• Rising unemployment: on the other hand, a high number of workers exist for a limited number of vacancies and this seems destined to lead to high rates of joblessness in the future. This in turn could provoke rising crime and social revolt.

 

• Rising living costs: all the above will lead, at the end of the day, to increasing living costs in most countries. Fewer resources, less water, the packing of many people into confined spaces and a lack of money are provoking an increase in the cost of living whereby only a percentage of the population will be able to cover all their needs.

 

• Technological advances: on the positive side, high concentrations of people in urban areas also brings with it research and development in the quest for solutions to the population’s needs. An example is the popularisation of communication technologies and the generation, collection and use of Big Data for sustainable ends, as well as the emergence of Smart Cities adapted to ensure good living conditions for the increasing population.

 

• The depopulation of rural areas in favour of cities may, paradoxically, create major challenges for such places. It results in a growing number of under-utilised infrastructures, due to migration away from these rural areas, and previously domesticated landscapes whose ecosystems deteriorate without human attention.

As you can see, the impact of overpopulation is tremendous. Overpopulation is one of the biggest challenges humanity is facing and threatens the near future of the planet in economic, environmental and social terms.

TOO MANY PEOPLE; NOT ENOUGH PLANET 

Sources: United Nations Population FundWorld Population HistoryOur World in DataInfo Lasopublico.es, Conserve Energy FutureBBCSociology, Discussion, Population MattersFertilabExpansión, Naciones Unidas, El País

JOIN THE #TEAM - #VOLUNTEER AND APPLY FOR THIS EXCITING #OPPORTUNITY

Letter to Supporters

 Greetings All -

If you or anyone you know are looking to join an exciting, dynamic and creative steering committee team aimed at bringing economic and social progress to thousands of tenants throughout Canada, as well as working with our international affiliate groups -  

- please send them this email with our coordinates to contact us at their earliest convenience by email, Twitter, Facebook or phone. 

This is currently a top-notch volunteer position that will appeal to people who are:

Charming and Helpful

Energetic Creative Achiever

Positive Team Player

Seeking Fun Challenges

Socially and Technically Skilled

JOIN THE #TEAM 

 #VOLUNTEER AND APPLY FOR THIS EXCITING #OPPORTUNITY

WHO WE ARE

COME JOIN THE FUN, LEADERSHIP AND POSITIVE ENERGY CREATED IN HELPING OTHERS

YEAH, TEAM!

Warm Regards:

Executive Committee

Woodgreen Tenants' Association

137 Sears St, Toronto, ON  M4L 1B4

437 328 3831 

Follow Us On:

Website - Coming Soon

Twitter - @WoodgreenTenAss

Blogger - https://woodgreentenantsassociation.blogspot.com/

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/WoodgreenTenantsAssociation

Theme - Makes You Stronger - https://youtu.be/Xn676-fLq7I

Professional, Progressive, Leadership

 

FIVE CRITICAL #HOUSING #PRIORITIES FOR ONTARIO - #ACTO

 THE PEOPLE DEMAND REAL ACTION NOW!

https://www.acto.ca/production/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Provincial_Housing_Policies_ACTO.pdf

Five Housing Policy Priorities for Ontario

 1. Adopt innovative approaches to develop affordable rental housing

 Ontario needs to build at least 10,000 new rental units each year to meet the demand of a growing population. However, we’ve seen an average of only 5,500 rental completions annually over the period from 1990 to 20201 – approximately half of what we need. Further, the new rental units that are being built are overwhelmingly luxury units. The CMHC Rental market report for 2021 found that the average rent for new supplies entering the market was 43% higher than the average market rent for all units. These newer units had an average rent of $2,222 and would only be affordable to higher-income renter households in the fourth- and fifth-income quintile.2 The greatest housing need in Ontario is for purpose-built rental housing that is affordable over the long term. The new rental supply has not responded to this need. To improve the state of affordable housing in the province, the provincial government should propose innovative policy approaches, such as:  Supporting the non-profit and co-op housing sector and investing in community housing, including freeing up surplus provincial lands for community housing development that remains affordable over the long term;  Ensure any new affordable housing that is developed using public resources remains affordable over the long term;  Grant municipalities increased autonomy to develop Inclusionary Zoning bylaws suited to their local context;  Limit the use of exclusionary zoning, including the legalization of multi-tenant housing across the province;  Provide additional provincial funds beyond Ontario’s commitments in the FederalProvincial bilateral agreement for building and repairing social housing and non-profit housing. ACTO also supports the calls for the Government of Ontario to develop an Urban & Rural Indigenous Housing Strategy. Over three-quarters of Indigenous people in Ontario live off-reserve,3 which means the provincial government has a major responsibility to provide housing to Indigenous peoples. As a result of colonization and ongoing systemic racism, Indigenous peoples experience unique housing challenges compared to settler populations in Ontario. At the present time, these needs are not adequately being met; despite Indigenous peoples making up only 2.8% of Ontario's population, they make up 15% of the homeless population in Toronto4 and 55% in Thunder Bay5. To address this issue, the government should create an Indigenous-led housing strategy that will find appropriate solutions to Indigenous people’s housing needs off-reserve.

CREATIVE GOVERNMENT? 

HMMM...

2. Retain existing affordable rental housing

 Supply-side, market-based solutions alone will not solve Ontario’s housing crisis. We must make serious efforts to keep the remaining supply of affordable housing stock, otherwise, things will only become worse. The financialization of housing is one of the biggest factors behind the loss of affordable rental housing units and should be addressed by the provincial government. Financialization involves the acquisition of rental properties by financialized landlords, such as private equity firms, asset management companies, pension funds, insurance companies, and real estate investment trusts (REITs). These types of firms have increasingly been buying rental apartments over the past two decades. As of 2019, an estimated 18% of Canadian apartments are owned by financial firms. REITs alone have risen from owning zero suites in 1996 to 194,000 in 2019.6 Since 2006, Ontario experienced a 26% decline in units that rent for less than $1000 for a 1- bedroom. Meanwhile, there has been a sharp 87% increase in 1-bedroom units that rent for $1000 to $1500 and a 36% increase in luxury rentals with rents above $1500. The stark loss of affordable rental units in the private market is because of incentives to demolish or renovate older buildings, as well as the increased concentration of rental apartment ownership in largescale corporate landlords and REITs. As a result, tenants routinely face large rent increases, evictions, and displacement. We need the provincial government to commit to addressing the scope and impact of financialization and its harmful effect on housing. Measures could include restrictions on global capital flows into local real estate, examining tax treatment of financial firms, creating a public beneficial ownership registry to eliminate hidden ownership, reining in speculation in real estate, and targeting money laundering. The existing rental housing stock is being lost to demolition and conversion of units. The provincial government should establish consistent regulations to protect rental housing stock and limit demolition and conversion of units when vacancy rates are below a healthy rate. Some municipalities - such as Mississauga and Toronto - already have rental property protection bylaws to preserve their affordable rental housing stock, but they are in the minority. Having consistency across the province is another way to preserve the current supply of affordable rental housing. Vacancy decontrol is a provincial policy that allows landlords to charge any amount of rent to new tenants when moving into vacant units. Over time, this reduces the number of rental units that are affordable because of this incentive to remove long-term tenants. This results in higher rates of eviction increase the cost of housing above inflation and discourages tenants from moving when necessary due to unaffordable rents elsewhere. The provincial government should end vacancy decontrol and set limits on rent increases in vacant units. Finally, the government should provide funding and assistance for the acquisition of existing affordable rental housing by non-profits. Moving these affordable rental units into non-market ownership would prevent further losses and preserve affordability over the long term.

IS CRONY CORRUPTION THE REAL CANCER?

 3. Improve access to justice for vulnerable tenants

Low-income tenants routinely face barriers to accessing the justice system. Two years ago, changes to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) and cuts to Legal Aid funding exacerbated these existing barriers. In March 2020, LTB shifted from in-person hearings to digital hearings. In this shift, they have made little to no effort to accommodate tenants with mental health issues, who are illiterate or innumerate, or who do not speak English as their first language. This is compounded by the fact that many low-income and rural or remote households lack access to reliable internet and phone services. The LTB expects tenants to be present throughout the day of their hearing, which can often mean that they stay online for four hours or longer. This expectation is very difficult to meet, given the data, phone and other limitations of many Ontarians. As a result of these changes, fewer people are able to assert their legal rights and Ontarians are experiencing unprecedented delays at the LTB. The digital experiment has drawn concerns from the Ontario Bar Association, Ontario Human Rights Commission, and the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions Ontario’s Courts have reopened for in-person trials out of concern with how digital hearings can disenfranchise vulnerable Ontarians. Tribunals Ontario, by contrast, has refused to follow suit despite its mandate to offer a more expedient, user-friendly means for Ontarians to access justice outside our Courts. Tribunals Ontario should resume in-person hearings as the default, and offer digital hearings as an option where appropriate. In their 2019 budget, the government made a massive cut of 35% to Legal Aid Ontario funding, a decision which harmed vulnerable Ontarians. The province’s financial commitment to Legal Aid Ontario should be increased from its current level of $350M to $480M annually, to support desperately needed investments in legal aid. The rate of return on investment in legal aid programs is between $9 to $16 in savings from other government bodies, as it avoids downstream costs, not just in the justice system, but also for the government more broadly.7 This level of funding ($480M) would bring the government’s commitment to legal aid back to the levels outlined in the 2014 provincial budget, a level of funding needed to ensure that essential services are available for the most vulnerable Ontarians.

DO THE ELITE - 1.5% - CONTROL THE PUBLIC AGENDA?

4. Improve the security of tenure for tenants

 Across the province, we have seen a rising number of no-fault evictions, such as landlord’s own use and renovictions. The government must better protect existing rental housing across Ontario by adopting increased compensation for demolition or renovation evictions, increased notice periods and an effective right of first refusal policy. Eviction for occupation by the landlord or a purchaser should be subject to a higher standard of proof, one which balances the needs of the tenant and the other party. In addition, bad faith applications must be treated as serious violations of the law. For an application that is found to be in bad faith, greater fines and other remedies, including mandatory re-possession, should be applied. They must also support municipalities in regulating short-term rental platforms like Airbnb to ensure they do not convert residential units into hotel-like uses. The financialization of housing has also had harmful impacts on the security of tenure for tenants. Researchers have found financialized landlords, such as REITs, intentionally employ business practices to increase rental revenues by evicting existing tenants, upgrading buildings, and replacing the previous tenants with more affluent households who can pay higher rents. Ontario also needs to address economic evictions brought about by unlimited rent increases. Under current regulations, any unit first occupied as a residence after November 15, 2018, is exempt from rent increase limits. This allows landlords to make unlimited rent increases, which could lead to tenants being displaced from their homes. The lack of rent regulation on new units will particularly affect rapidly growing communities with a high percentage of newer builds, such as municipalities in the GTA.  

CANDIAN DREAM HAS BECOME A HOUSING AND OPIOID NIGHTMARE

SURPRISED? THEY ARE TRULY CONNECTED 

5. Increase supports for low-income tenant households 

For many renters with low to moderate incomes, any unexpected changes to their financial circumstances can result in rent arrears and eventual evictions from their homes. The CMHC October 2020 Rental Market Survey included data on the level of rental arrears nationwide. Ontario had the highest arrears rate in the country, with tenants in slightly more than 10% of purpose-built rental units experiencing arrears. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Ontario increased funding to municipalities and service providers through the Social Services Relief Fund, providing many Ontarians with a stronger safety net to protect them from homelessness. This funding should be continued to guarantee Ontarians have access to financial support when needed. The pandemic also highlighted the urgent need for legislated paid sick days. Workers must have the ability to stay home while sick without the fear of losing income or their jobs. Access to employer-funded sick days means workers can safely get tested and stay home to recover as needed. The provincial government should legislate 10 permanent employer-paid sick days and an additional 14 employer-paid sick days during public health emergencies. Long-term changes must also be made to existing social assistance programs. The assistance received by Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program recipients continues to fall dramatically short of the actual cost of living. As an example, the Ontario Works maximum shelter allowance for a single parent with two children was $554 in 2000 and has only increased to $697 in 2020. The average rent for a 2 bedroom apartment increased from $717 to $1,241 in the same time period. The government should increase the shelter allowance portion of social assistance to keep up with the rising costs of housing

WHERE DOES THIS ALL LEAD?

 PREPARE FOR ECONOMIC COLLAPSE 

WE ARE ALL GOING HOUSE #POOR AS #CONDO RENTS AND #FEES SURGE TO RECORD LEVELS

 

https://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2022/07/toronto-average-condo-rent-price-surpassed-record-highs/

The average monthly cost to rent a condo unit in the Toronto region just spiked to unheard-of levels, and it will now cost a residential tenant more than ever to live in the GTA.

The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) released its second-quarter condo rent report on Thursday, highlighting an unprecedented double-digit surge in rent price appreciation across all unit types.

Second quarter condo apartment rental prices just shattered previous records established in the third quarter of 2019.

Average one-bedroom condo apartment rents spiked by a staggering 20.2 per cent year-over-year, and it will now cost a renter an average of $2,269 per month GTA-wide.

The average two-bedroom condo rent in the GTA increased by 15.3 per cent during the same period and now sits at $2,979, threatening to cross the $3K/month mark.

A three-bedroom condo unit in the region will now cost a renter $3,790, a 12.8 per cent increase over Q2 2021.

In Toronto proper, condo rent prices were (as one would expect) a bit higher than the regional average, with one-bedrooms now going for a monthly average of $2,279, two-bedrooms at $3,061, and three-bedroom units costing $3,933 per month.

WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE ANYMORE ???

Despite all of this price appreciation, rental transaction activity actually plummeted in the second quarter when measured against the same period in 2021. A total of 13,203 condo apartment rental transactions in the GTA marks an 11.4 per cent year-over-year decline.

Experts at TRREB state that the drop in transactions is not a reflection of declining demand, instead pointing to an almost 30 per cent year-over-year nosedive in new rental listings hampering choice.

MAINTENANCE FEES WILL DEVASTATE YOUR BUDGET

TRREB President Kevin Crigger warns that renters can only "expect rental market conditions to tighten further in the coming months."

Jason Mercer, TRREB's Chief Market Analyst, has a similar warning for renters, cautioning that increased competition could lead to "extremely strong upward pressure on average rents."

WE ARE ALL GOING BROKE ...

#Op-Ed: John Tory’s chance to be an #affordable #housing champion

AN IMPORTANT VIDEO MESSAGE FOR MAYOR TORY AND CITY COUNCIL

 Legalizing rooming houses across the city would protect tenants and create an affordable housing option now without infrastructure costs

BY JIN HUH, DOUGLAS KWAN AND SEAN MEAGHER

Google Maps

Mayor John Tory has the opportunity to make a significant dent in the housing crisis in Toronto. He has the power to ensure Council approves a city-wide approach to legalizing Toronto’s most affordable housing option – rooming houses (aka multi-tenant housing) ­­­­- when the issue comes up for debate on Monday, October 4.

Or, the mayor may be on the brink of another political muddle that could see his housing agenda begin to unravel.

Rooming houses provide many new immigrants, students, people living with disabilities, migrant workers, seniors and low to moderate-income residents an affordable housing option. Legalizing them across the city would protect vulnerable tenants and create a housing solution that can be put into place now, without large investments in infrastructure.

For 20 years Toronto has had two rules on rooming houses. Across the old City of Toronto and in limited areas in Etobicoke and East York, they are legal, and subject to all kinds of regulations. As long as they fulfill their licenses, owners can rent out rooms in a house to more than one unrelated person at rates as low as $400 a month.

But i n Scarborough, North York and York, rooming houses are strictly illegal. No matter how good the landlord is, it’s illegal to rent out rooms. And no matter how bad the landlord is, there are no regulations that govern how they are run. If the City finds a tenant who rents by the room in these areas, their obligation is to evict them and everyone else in the house.

City staff estimate that there are about 1,000 illegal rooming houses in the city, but the numbers are likely higher. And the reality is that, regardless of whether rooming houses are regulated or not, they will continue to exist.

Vulnerable tenants won’t call (no matter how bad their situation might be) for fear of losing their housing. Neighbours sometimes call but without regulations, there are limited options available to address their concerns. These challenges have been outlined by rooming house residents and by Scarborough policy pundit John Stapleton.

The lack of regulations is not only inconvenient and ineffective, but it can also be deadly. City reports show that fires, injuries and deaths are far more prevalent in unregulated housing. There are currently two legal challenges before the courts arguing the city’s policy is discriminatory and illegal.

THE FUTURE OF TORONTO HOUSING

Mayor Tory and the City have spent years going back and forth on rooming houses. In 2015 the City conducted an extensive review, concluding there is a need for a single city-wide policy. But the report never made it to Council. Further consultation in 2017 led to an alternate plan that never got off the ground.

The City finally landed on solid ground last year when staff recommended a plan that increases enforcement on illegal activity, and creates a pathway for rooming houses in the suburbs to come into compliance. The Planning and Housing Committee passed the policy unanimously.

But when it came to Council in July, the Mayor deferred it. He assured the public he was still firmly behind the policy, saying “The status quo is not acceptable in any way shape or form…I am determined, I am behind this… and will do what we have to do to have a policy that can win the majority of City Council.”

But as the policy goes to Council again on Monday, some are concerned the Mayor will not deliver and that it will be voted down despite support from housing advocates, students, hospitals, universities, residents and even some landlords and homeowners.

Mayor Tory has the opportunity to be an affordable housing champion right now by ensuring this policy framework gets approved.

IS TORONTO DYING?

IT IS HAPPENING IN SEATTLE

COULD IT HAPPEN HERE?

Jin Huh is Executive Director of Social Planning Toronto. Douglas Kwan is Director of Advocacy and Legal Services at Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario. Sean Meagher is a housing advocate.