November 9
th
, 2023
Hon. Catherine Fife
Member of Provincial Parliament, Waterloo, Ontario
100 Regina Street South,
Suite 220
Waterloo, Ontario,
N2J 4P9
Dear MPP Fife,
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Surnish Johal, I currently reside within your
constituency located in Waterloo, Ontario. I am writing you today, in order to express my deep
concern regarding the critical deficit of available housing in our community; specifically
affordable housing available to the average Ontarian. As a constituent of Waterloo, I believe
along with many others, that addressing this issue is paramount.
I have personally witnessed rising housing prices force friends of mine to the very brink
of homelessness. The increasing number of Ontarians forced to live on the streets, and in
shelters, is a troubling reality that affects everyone in our community; and is blatantly
unacceptable. Many of my friends, students as myself, are finding that materializing affordable
and adequate housing is a challenge to say the least; a burden we’ve collectively faced.
The
average rent price for a one-bedroom has surpassed $2000 in Waterloo, with an 8.9% year over
year increase in rent (“Rent Prices Soaring in Waterloo Region and across Canada” 2023).
Finding affordable housing, concerning attending school this current year, has strained myself
and my parents, as well as my friends; a sentiment shared across the academic community (and
the community in general) in recent years. The cost of renting has grown exponentially, further
irritated by implications surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. This predicament has, in turn,
made renting close to impossible, and the prospect of purchasing a home completely impossible.
I share the burden of living expenses with my parents, although to facilitate this I work as well; a
detriment to fulfilling my academic responsibilities. The housing situation has become more than
difficult; however, the somewhat mandatory situation which forces my parents to share my rent,
is further influenced by rising rent costs in the Waterloo region. As a result, working full-time in
combination with school, degrades the focus I could in other circumstances, set aside to
advancing my education.
I am writing to you today, with the hope that I can provide lived
context, as to how difficult the situation is becoming for myself, as well as other citizens of
Ontario.
Affordable housing in Waterloo is crucial issue, paramount to the livelihood of
individuals, families, and the community. Affordable housing is not just about having shelter, but
it is a representation of a healthy and thriving community. The ability for individuals to be able
to obtain affordable housing is paramount in growing the local economy and determines the
quality of life for residents. As this government iterates, “Housing is affordable when the
household spends less than 30 percent of their income on housing costs”; an almost ignorant
statement, when contextualized with the true reality faced by Ontarian’s everyday (Affordable
Housing Plan; 2022). Personally, I am forced to allocate north of 80% of my income concerning
housing-expenses; unilaterally. This makes it difficult to follow my other aspirations as could
have been done in the past. The notion that this is a reasonable, never mind a sustainable reality
