Carolyn Whitzman
@cwhitzman.bsky.social
Senior housing researcher, University of Toronto School of Cities. Author, “Clara at the Door with a Revolver”(2023), “Home Truths: Fixing Canada’s Housing Crisis” ( 2024).
Pinned
Carolyn Whitzman
@cwhitzman.bsky.social
· Nov 10
I recently published a paper for @irpp.bsky.social about how the enable deeply affordable homes with supports, the only proven way to end homelessness irpp.org/research-stu...
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
🎧What broke housing in Canada and how do we fix it?
Jennifer speaks with housing expert @cwhitzman.bsky.social on the policy choices behind today’s crisis and the practical pathways forward, from non-market housing to financing reform.
Out on all platforms + YouTube.
irpp.org/podcast/what...
Jennifer speaks with housing expert @cwhitzman.bsky.social on the policy choices behind today’s crisis and the practical pathways forward, from non-market housing to financing reform.
Out on all platforms + YouTube.
irpp.org/podcast/what...
What Broke Housing in Canada, and How to Fix It - IRPP
In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Carolyn Whitzman, one of the country’s leading housing experts, about how decades of policy choices created today’s housin...
irpp.org
February 2, 2026 at 3:51 PM
🎧What broke housing in Canada and how do we fix it?
Jennifer speaks with housing expert @cwhitzman.bsky.social on the policy choices behind today’s crisis and the practical pathways forward, from non-market housing to financing reform.
Out on all platforms + YouTube.
irpp.org/podcast/what...
Jennifer speaks with housing expert @cwhitzman.bsky.social on the policy choices behind today’s crisis and the practical pathways forward, from non-market housing to financing reform.
Out on all platforms + YouTube.
irpp.org/podcast/what...
The focus needs to be on maintaining permanent hsg & repair the individual’s social relationships.
January 29, 2026 at 1:20 AM
The focus needs to be on maintaining permanent hsg & repair the individual’s social relationships.
Shelters can create homelessness but they are seen as the ‘simple’ solution. Sandra Clarkson from Calgary talked about how half+ 900 ppl using their shelter every night had been living there for over 3 months. Cash, creating permanent hsg has led to 3500 successful tenancies.
January 29, 2026 at 12:58 AM
Shelters can create homelessness but they are seen as the ‘simple’ solution. Sandra Clarkson from Calgary talked about how half+ 900 ppl using their shelter every night had been living there for over 3 months. Cash, creating permanent hsg has led to 3500 successful tenancies.
90% of youth in the Niagara program stayed housed. Mike talked about how outreach in small community schools became the basis for keeping kids in families, housing, school & local community.
January 29, 2026 at 12:48 AM
90% of youth in the Niagara program stayed housed. Mike talked about how outreach in small community schools became the basis for keeping kids in families, housing, school & local community.
At Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa public event on Emergency Shelter Transformation with Calgary Drop In & Niagara Resource Service for Youth, featuring Jennifer McKelvie MP & Catherine Cullen from CBC.
January 29, 2026 at 12:30 AM
At Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa public event on Emergency Shelter Transformation with Calgary Drop In & Niagara Resource Service for Youth, featuring Jennifer McKelvie MP & Catherine Cullen from CBC.
Excellent prescription.
@mark-carney.bsky.social says we should build with Canadian materials. I wrote a post earlier about this, calling for mass timber, missing middle housing, straw and wood fibre and more lloydalter.substack.com/p/how-canada...
January 25, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Excellent prescription.
I hope they make it after all.
On a downtown street in Minneapolis, as people stream out from the massive march, Mary Tyler Moore says “fuck ice.”
January 23, 2026 at 11:04 PM
I hope they make it after all.
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
I’m not much for religion but if I were, if a line of clergy flew in to freezing weather to line up and oppose me while singing songs of faith, I might be thinking “are we the baddies?”
Singing
January 23, 2026 at 5:09 PM
I’m not much for religion but if I were, if a line of clergy flew in to freezing weather to line up and oppose me while singing songs of faith, I might be thinking “are we the baddies?”
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
In which I have much to say about planners as change agents.
🏘️ Canada’s #housing crisis is not accidental. It is the result of decades of political choices, market logics, and planning systems failing to centre people, #equity, and #care. 📖 Read "In and Against the System: with Dr. Carolyn Whitzman" @cwhitzman.bsky.social at www.WomenInUrbanism.ca/words.
January 23, 2026 at 2:13 AM
In which I have much to say about planners as change agents.
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
It’s not about drugs. If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
January 3, 2026 at 3:34 PM
It’s not about drugs. If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
This would be so popular at the national level if centrist Democrats let us use those words in that order
Mamdani: "The cost of childcare will no longer discourage young adults from starting a family, because we will deliver universal childcare for the many by taxing the wealthiest few"
January 1, 2026 at 8:04 PM
This would be so popular at the national level if centrist Democrats let us use those words in that order
Thanks, @glengower.ca
"Home Truths" by @cwhitzman.bsky.social should be required reading for every elected official, at any level. A sharp history of housing policy in Canada, plus clear-headed policy solutions.
3/
3/
December 30, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Thanks, @glengower.ca
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
Landmark move: New York City's comptroller @bradlander.bsky.social, with hundreds of billions under his control, recommends dropping investment giant Blackrock because they won't reckon with climate change.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
NYC’s Lander Recommends Dropping $42 Billion BlackRock Mandate
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is urging three of the city’s pension funds to drop BlackRock Inc. because of “inadequate” climate plans, the latest move to penalize investment firms for failing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Landmark move: New York City's comptroller @bradlander.bsky.social, with hundreds of billions under his control, recommends dropping investment giant Blackrock because they won't reckon with climate change.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
Here's the info for the Ottawa screening! I'm looking forward to this event, especially since @cwhitzman.bsky.social & I will talk housing as part of the Q&A discussion after the film!
The event is free & all are welcome
The event is free & all are welcome
November 18, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Here's the info for the Ottawa screening! I'm looking forward to this event, especially since @cwhitzman.bsky.social & I will talk housing as part of the Q&A discussion after the film!
The event is free & all are welcome
The event is free & all are welcome
It’s been a while since I’ve seen an all white male panel like this (not shown: 2 online panelists, 1 moderator - also pale male) but worship of Ed Glaeser is a must as well
November 12, 2025 at 7:03 PM
It’s been a while since I’ve seen an all white male panel like this (not shown: 2 online panelists, 1 moderator - also pale male) but worship of Ed Glaeser is a must as well
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
This is really important.
The main thing that makes it hard to achieve integrated nature and green in cities isn’t density of buildings or density of people — it's density of cars. And the more well-designed and integrated density of people & buildings you achieve, the fewer cars you need or want.
The main thing that makes it hard to achieve integrated nature and green in cities isn’t density of buildings or density of people — it's density of cars. And the more well-designed and integrated density of people & buildings you achieve, the fewer cars you need or want.
November 9, 2025 at 8:09 AM
This is really important.
The main thing that makes it hard to achieve integrated nature and green in cities isn’t density of buildings or density of people — it's density of cars. And the more well-designed and integrated density of people & buildings you achieve, the fewer cars you need or want.
The main thing that makes it hard to achieve integrated nature and green in cities isn’t density of buildings or density of people — it's density of cars. And the more well-designed and integrated density of people & buildings you achieve, the fewer cars you need or want.
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
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November 6, 2025 at 10:16 PM
What the federal budget means for cities this Thursday noon ET - moderated by @canurb.bsky.social featuring @fcm.ca @thehubcanada.bsky.social & @uoftcities.bsky.social (me) us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: 2025 CityTalk | Live — "There’s the Money! What The Federal Budget Means For City Building". After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about ...
The local impact of national priorities: what the budget really means for Canadian communities.
The 2025 federal budget sets the tone for how Canada plans to tackle its biggest challenges — housing, ...
us06web.zoom.us
November 4, 2025 at 7:18 PM
What the federal budget means for cities this Thursday noon ET - moderated by @canurb.bsky.social featuring @fcm.ca @thehubcanada.bsky.social & @uoftcities.bsky.social (me) us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
Nov. 9: Join Carolyn Whitzman Senior Housing Researcher, for a talk at Koffler Arts about artist Tracey Snelling’s Intergalactic Planetary exhibition and how they both explore the ways that marginalized communities navigate and shape urban spaces https://ow.ly/ucnx50Xl6mB
November 4, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Nov. 9: Join Carolyn Whitzman Senior Housing Researcher, for a talk at Koffler Arts about artist Tracey Snelling’s Intergalactic Planetary exhibition and how they both explore the ways that marginalized communities navigate and shape urban spaces https://ow.ly/ucnx50Xl6mB
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
We'll be discussing @cwhitzman.bsky.social's book Home Truths on November 23rd, 2pm, downtown Kitchener. DM us for the address if you'd like to join this book club!
To do this, housing experts @cwhitzman.bsky.social
and Priya Perwani call for the creation of “at least 4.4 million affordable homes" to meet the target of 20 percent of our housing stock being affordable. maytree.com/publications...
and Priya Perwani call for the creation of “at least 4.4 million affordable homes" to meet the target of 20 percent of our housing stock being affordable. maytree.com/publications...
Scaling up affordable housing through a ‘Build Canada Homes’ proposal
With a $40B annual investment, "Build Canada Homes" could deliver 200,000 non-market housing units annually – 40% of federal targets – by partnering with non-market developers and retaining government...
maytree.com
November 2, 2025 at 5:57 PM
We'll be discussing @cwhitzman.bsky.social's book Home Truths on November 23rd, 2pm, downtown Kitchener. DM us for the address if you'd like to join this book club!
This is a great article - great visuals & great summary of why we need 4 storey apartments with single egress everywhere in North American cities.
Canada needs livable apartments to help fix the housing crisis. To do that, it must change the rulebook for both condos and rentals
by @theglobeandmail.com’s Erica Alini
h/t @blairscorgie.bsky.social
Cc: @uoftcities.bsky.social @housingnowto.bsky.social @cwhitzman.bsky.social
by @theglobeandmail.com’s Erica Alini
h/t @blairscorgie.bsky.social
Cc: @uoftcities.bsky.social @housingnowto.bsky.social @cwhitzman.bsky.social
November 1, 2025 at 11:38 PM
This is a great article - great visuals & great summary of why we need 4 storey apartments with single egress everywhere in North American cities.
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
October 28, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Whitzman
who creates the lively art and music scenes if the rent is too high? who makes cultural life? who serves you food or washes your dishes? who creates the fancy little restaurants that draw you to urban living? affordable housing is at the heart of what makes city life worthwhile.
October 26, 2025 at 6:04 AM
who creates the lively art and music scenes if the rent is too high? who makes cultural life? who serves you food or washes your dishes? who creates the fancy little restaurants that draw you to urban living? affordable housing is at the heart of what makes city life worthwhile.
Bravo. Toronto - and Canada - need this. www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/art-...
A dense, urban Canada? It’s possible
A specific, provocative proposal for how Toronto might evolve offers good ideas
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 26, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Bravo. Toronto - and Canada - need this. www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/art-...