Housing Matters and So Do Your Housing Rights

October 8, 2026

My name is Jo-Anne Gauthier and I am a self-advocate. I am also a research assistant with the Housing Matters project. And I want to share some important information with you.

When you hear the word HOME, what is the first word that comes to mind?

Please, pause and think about this for a moment.

Everyone can have a different idea of what home means. And that is okay.

Housing is more than having a roof over your head. A home should be somewhere you feel safe. You should have choices in your daily life. You should be able to access your home. And you should feel like you belong.

Did you know that 23% of renters with disabilities in Canada were in core housing need in 2022. That is almost 1 in 4 renters with disabilities.

“Core Housing Need” means that a person does not have a home that is affordable, big enough, or in good enough condition, and they cannot afford a better home.

These numbers tell us that housing is a real issue for people with disabilities. But behind every number is a person. That's why it is important to listen to people with disabilities and include us in decisions about housing.

Many people with disabilities face barriers when looking for a home. Some homes are not accessible. Most housing costs too much. There may not be enough choices. Some people may have to wait a long time for affordable and safe housing. Many people do not get to choose who they live with. And sometimes people do not feel included in their own communities.

Having a place to live is important. But having a say in where and how you live is important, too.

This is where the Housing Matters Project research comes in!

Housing Matters is a research project led by the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, or CIIC for short. The project looked at housing experiences for people with disabilities.

Researchers wanted to learn:

• What is working

• What is not working

• What do people want

• What needs to change

Our research included focus groups and individual interviews with people with disabilities. But something else was important. Self-advocates were involved in the research. And I was one of them. This is important and research has often left us out in the past. But disabled people are the true experts in disability. We should be involved in disability research every step of the way.

I want to tell you about my role. I was not just someone who answered questions. I was part of the research. I helped bring the voices and experiences of self-advocates into the project. I helped think about what was important. I listened to other people's experiences. And I helped share what we learned.

Non-disabled researchers have important knowledge. But we have important knowledge, too. We can also be researchers.

RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE and LIVED EXPERIENCE.

We need both. Good research should not leave out the people whose lives the research is about.

Something I know from my own lived experience is that getting through the front door is important, but accessibility is about much more than that.

Think about what happens after you get inside:

• Can you use the bathroom?

• Can you use the kitchen?

• Can you understand information and communicate what you need?

• Can you get to the places you need to go using transportation?

• Is your neighbourhood accessible?

• Do you feel safe?

• Can you get the support you need to live the way you choose?

Accessibility can be different for every person. Home is not just about the building we live in. Housing is also connected to relationships and belonging. Where we live can affect who we see, who we spend time with, and how connected we feel to other people.

For example, can you have friends or family visit? Do you know your neighbours? Can you get to places where you can meet people and be part of your community?

Sometimes people can have a home but still feel lonely or left out. A home should be a place where you can feel safe, connected, and like you belong.

It is so important everyone realizes that people with disabilities want many of the same things other people want.

We want:

• Choice

• Privacy

• Friends

• Relationships

• Independence

• Safety

• Affordability

• A place we can call home

• A community where we belong

These are not too much to ask for. These are things people should be able to have in their lives.

From the research in the Housing Matters project and from what other self-advocates have told me, there are things that need to change.

We need more:

• Affordable housing

• Accessible housing

• Housing choices

• Opportunities for independence

• Inclusion in communities

But there is one change that I think is really important. People with disabilities need to be part of decisions about housing. We should not only be asked what we think after decisions have already been made.

We should be involved from the beginning.

We should help ask the questions.

We should help find solutions.

We should be listened to.

And we should have real leadership.

This is what “Nothing About Us Without Us” really means.

And remember! You have rights.

If you have a disability, you have the right to be treated fairly when it comes to housing.

You have the right to make choices about where you live and, when possible, who you live with.

You have the right to have a home that you can access and use.

You also have the right to be free from discrimination because of your disability.

Sometimes, you may need something changed or adjusted because of your disability. This is called accommodation. For example, maybe you need a different way to access your building. Maybe you need a disability-related change to a rule or policy. Accommodations can help remove a barriers.

And there is one more right that I think is really important. You have a right to have a voice. People with disabilities should be part of conversations and decisions about housing. We should not just be told what has already been decided.

We should be asked:

• What do you need?

• What do you want?

• What would make housing work better for you?

That is part of self-advocacy. Knowing your rights can help you speak up when something is not fair or when you need support.

There are different laws that can protect people's rights when it comes to housing. You can look into these laws to better know your rights:

• BC Human Rights Code

• Residential Tenancy Act

• B.C. Building Code

• Accessible B.C. Act

• Strata Property Act

If you have a question about your housing rights, you can find out which law applies to your situation and get help understanding what you can do. You do not have to figure it all out by yourself. And knowing your rights is one way to use your voice.

I want you to remember three things you can repeat to yourself often:

“My home. I should have a say in where I live.”

“My choice. I should have choices about my life.”

“My voice. My experience and my ideas matter.”

Being part of Housing Matters taught me that self-advocates can do more than share our stories. We can be researchers. We can be leaders. We can ask questions. We can help find solutions. And we can help create change.

Housing matters.

Our voices matter.

Our voices need to be part of the conversation.

And as I always say...Never Give Up!