Amang Zathang knows what it is like to fight for herself. Born in Myanmar and raised in India, her family faced political, cultural and religious strife before finally seeking refuge in Canada in 2008. But amidst the financial crisis, finding suitable housing was near impossible.
Even when Zathang had her own family, the living situation was less than ideal. With her husband and two children, the four squeezed into a single bedroom apartment in the west end of Kemptville, Ont. “My husband is a full-time employee and he’s the only breadwinner.
I decided to stay home with my two boys because daycare is so expensive, we don’t have that kind of budget,” she told CityNews. “I’m not in a position to work. I’m a full-time student and a stay-at-home mom.
” With their income, Zathang said there was no way the family could save for a conventional downpayment on a house. That is the reality for many Canadians as the nation faces a growing affordability and housing crisis. The third annual Affordable Housing Survey released by Habitat for Humanity Canada found that 84 per cent of Canadians say that buying a home feels like a luxury and nearly 90 per cent of renters say the goal of homeownership is one that has become out of reach.
As a greater portion of Canadians incomes are put towards housing, there is increasing worry that other basic needs will be sacrificed. Fifty-nine per cent of survey respondents said they worry they will not have enough money for food, living ess.
