About Us

The Right to Housing Coalition is a group of individuals and organizations concerned about housing insecurity and homelessness experienced by low-income renters in Manitoba. We call on all levels of government to prioritize investments in social housing to ensure all low-income renters in Manitoba can access a home that is affordable, safe, secure, and culturally appropriate.

On this page: What we believe | Our vision, mission, and approach | How we began | Working Groups | Our Team | Supporting Organizations

The Right to Housing Coalition believes:

  • That all people have the right to housing.  
  • That it is a responsibility shared among all levels of government to respond with strong policy and action to ensure this right. The right to housing is guaranteed by the National Housing Strategy Act which was passed in June 2019.
  • That the best and proven way for this right to be fulfilled is through an adequate supply of social housing.

Our Vision

Housing that is affordable, safe, secure, in good condition and appropriate is realized for all.

How we operate

The Right to Housing Coalition is a volunteer-run group supported by individuals and organizations concerned about homelessness and housing insecurity experienced by low-income Manitobans.

The coalition mobilizes its supporters to call on all levels of government to prioritize investments in social housing to ensure all Manitobans can access a home that is affordable, safe, secure, and culturally appropriate.  

Social housing is owned by non-market housing providers and has rents set at less than 30% of household income in perpetuity.

Our Mission

To solve the ongoing housing crisis faced by low-income renters by securing major commitments from all levels of government to expand the supply of social housing with supports.

Our Approach

To bring people together to:

  • Initiate and synthesize research around housing-related issues faced by low-income renters.
  • Generate publicity and public support around evidence-based solutions to housing-related issues that impact low-income renters.
  • Mobilize the community to advocate to all levels of government to address the housing needs of low-income renters.

How the Right to Housing Coalition began

In 2005 concerned citizens came together to try to find a temporary use for the empty houses at Canadian Forces Kapyong Barracks. After learning about the critical shortage of housing for low-income renters throughout Winnipeg, the group expanded its mandate. In 2006 the Right to Housing Coalition was formed to speak out about the need for more social housing throughout Manitoba.

Since that time many individuals and organizations have become supporters of the coalition, adding their voice to the growing calls for all levels of government to expand the social housing supply in order to address housing insecurity and homelessness.

Working Groups

Each of our working groups focuses on a specific issue or level of government. We are always looking for new members and welcome your participation!

The Federal Working Group leads the Right to Housing Coalition’s advocacy aimed at the Government of Canada. The group’s activities are focused on supporting the efforts of the national Social Housing and Human Rights coalition, which is calling on the Government of Canada to invest in the protection and expansion of social housing across the country.

The Social Housing and Human Rights coalition was born out of the Social Housing and Human Rights conference that took place in Winnipeg in April 2023 and brought together over 100 housing researchers and advocates from across Canada.

The Provincial Working Group leads the Right to Housing Coalition’s advocacy aimed at the Manitoba government. The group’s activities are focused on promoting the five key pillars of the Coalition’s Social Housing Action Plan for Manitoba, which was developed in 2023 and has been endorsed by more than 90 organizations.

The pillars focus on expanding and preserving the supply of social housing with supports, strengthening rent regulations and tenant protections, and creating training and jobs for low-income people in the construction and maintenance of social housing.

The City Working group leads the Right to Housing Coalition’s advocacy aimed at the City of Winnipeg. The group is focused on ensuring that the municipal government understands that ‘Housing is City Business,’ and that our City uses the tools and resources at its disposal to ensure everyone in Winnipeg has a safe, stable home they can afford.

The group advocates for City support of new social housing, the protection of existing social and low-rent housing in Winnipeg, and sufficient city staffing and resources to support social housing development in the city.

The Seniors Working Group applies a seniors lens to the policy advocacy priorities of the Provincial Working Group to help draw attention to the needs of low-income seniors who rent in Manitoba.

The creation of the group was inspired by the Feb 2023 loss of the largest non-profit housing complex for low-income seniors in Manitoba – Lions Place – to a Real Estate Investment Trust. As a result, the group prioritizes advocating for government policies to protect and enhance the supply of social housing, particularly for low-income seniors.

The Gender-based Social Housing Working Group applies a gendered lens to the policy advocacy priorities of the Provincial Working Group to help draw attention to the needs of low-income women and gender-diverse people who rent in Manitoba.

The Residential Tenancies Act Working Group advocates to the Manitoba government to strengthen rent regulations and tenant protections for all renters.

The group’s activities are focused on promoting the fourth pillar of the Right to Housing Coalition’s Social Housing Action Plan for Manitoba, which calls for enhancing security of tenure by limiting exemptions to rent regulations, limiting above guideline rent increases, disallowing rent discounts, enhancing compensation for no-fault evictions, and ensuring evictions occur as a last resort.

To learn more or get involved with a working group:

Contact Us

Our Team

Right to Housing is voluntarily led by supporters who sit on our Steering Committee and chair our working groups:

  • Chair – Lindsey McBain
  • Treasurer – Christina Maes Nino
  • Federal Working Group chair – Shauna MacKinnon
  • Provincial Working Group chair – Kirsten Bernas
  • City Working Group chair – Yutaka Dirks
  • Seniors Working Group co-chair- Lynne Fernandez
  • Seniors Working Group co-chair – Erika Wiebe
  • RTA Working Group chair – Les Scott
  • Communications – Codi Guenther
  • Strategy – Christina Maes Nino
  • Supporter Engagement – Vacant

Supporting Organizations

  1. Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg
  2. Age & Opportunity Inc.
  3. Assiniboine Credit Union
  4. Broadway Seniors Resource Council
  5. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba Office
  6. Canadian Community Economic Development Network-MB
  7. Canadian Mental Health Association – Winnipeg/Manitoba
  8. Canadian Mental Health Association – Interlake Region
  9. Catholic Health Corporation of Manitoba
  10. Central Neighbourhoods
  11. Clubhouse of Manitoba
  12. Community Education Development Assoc.
  13. Daniel McIntyre/St. Matthews Community Assoc.
  14. Diocese of Rupert’s Land, Anglican Church of Canada
  15. EAGLE Urban Transition Centre
  16. Eden Health Care Services
  17. Fort Garry Seniors Resource Council
  18. Fountain Springs Housing
  19. Fred Douglas Society, Inc.
  20. Housing Opportunity Partnership (HOP)
  21. Hospitality House Refugee Ministry
  22. Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba
  23. Interlake Affordable Housing Coalition
  24. Jewish Child & Family Services
  25. Jubilee Fund
  26. Klinic Community Health Centre
  27. Ladco Company Limited
  28. Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre Inc.27
  29. Manitoba  Association of Newcomer Service Organizations
  30. Manitoba College of Social Workers
  31. Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council
  32. Manitoba Non-Profit Housing Association
  33. Mennonite Central Committee – Manitoba
  34. Micah House
  35. New Journey Housing
  36. North Point Douglas Seniors Assoc.
  37. Number TEN Architectural Group
  38. Parents in Support of Mental Wellness
  39. Point Douglas Citizens on Watch
  40. Prairie to Pine Regional Council, The United Church of Canada
  41. Rossbrook House
  42. Rupert’s Land Wechetowin Inc.
  43. Siloam Mission
  44. Social Planning Council of Winnipeg
  45. Spence Neighbourhood Assoc. – Healthy Living Program
  46. St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church
  47. St. Peter’s Anglican Church
  48. S.A.M. (Management) Inc.
  49. United Church in Meadowood
  50. United Lutheran Service Club Inc.
  51. Université de Saint-Boniface – School of Social Work
  52. Victoria Lifeline
  53. West Broadway Community Organization
  54. West Central Women’s Resource Centre
  55. Westminster Housing Society
  56. Winnipeg Harvest
  57. Wolseley Family Place

Take Action – Become a Supporter

It’s time for all levels of government to end the housing crisis.

Take Action Today