The housing affordability crisis is a growing problem across Canada, one that is disproportionately affecting disadvantaged communities who find it harder to get safe, affordable housing due to historically discriminatory practices and social injustices.
In order to address and increase awareness of discrimination in real estate, the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) released the Fighting for Fair Housing report and uncovered some unsettling insights:
- Over one third of realtors have experienced discrimination or racism.
- 1-in-4 BIPOC realtors say a client has refused to work with them because of their identity.
- 2-in-10 consumers say they’ve been treated unfairly by agents and BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to say this has happened to them.
We cannot hope to solve this issue without addressing the systemic racism that undermines fair and equitable access to homes across the housing spectrum.
To start, OREA established a task force to help find a way forward on eliminating systemic racism and improving inclusion in our real estate and housing sectors. Through education, advocacy and research, OREA’s presidential advisory group on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has provided 19 concrete and actionable recommendations for industry and government to implement in order to change policy, perceptions, and attitudes in the real estate community.
The provincial government has a key legislative role to play, especially when it comes to increasing equity and reducing discrimination in Ontario’s rental market. It can do this by incorporating OREA’s DEI recommendations into existing policy, including advocating for a review of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act and reducing government-imposed costs on new rental projects to create more choice in the marketplace.
The government can also encourage the expansion of affordable home ownership programs for disadvantaged communities by increasing access to affordable home financing and rental support. Our report found that almost 6-in-10 consumers support providing more financial assistance to disadvantaged communities in the renting/leasing or buying/selling of homes.
The real estate industry needs to act in a few key areas. First, it must enhance DEI education opportunities and resources for realtors and other professionals within the industry to foster diverse perspectives. Second, there needs to be a user-friendly process for registering and investigating complaints, with stronger penalties for racist or discriminatory behaviour.
We’ve had some big wins recently with the modernization of the code of ethics and the creation of higher education standards through the Trust in Real Estate Services Act (TRESA), aiming to eliminate discrimination in the industry and ensure that the realtor by your side has the highest professional standards.
When it comes to OREA’s governance and operations, we need all voices and perspectives to be heard. We need to encourage more diverse Ontarians to serve in leadership positions that is representative of our industry.
Our recommendations provide a road map on how to help all Ontarians find the homes they deserve. Together, all of us can do more.
This content was originally published here.
