In 2001, there were 1.5 million Canadians in core housing need; that is, they fell below standards set for adequacy, suitability and affordability. Housing affordability problems increased in 2004, as one in seven Canadian households spent 30 percent or more of their income on housing. Today, there is a growing number of Canadians that are paying too much of their income to keep a roof over their heads. Housing insecurity coupled with income insecurity has intensified the widespread and rapid growth of homelessness in Canada. The homelessness crisis is a symptom of deepening poverty, reflecting the erosion of housing security and the increasing need for affordable housing.   Canada’s housing policy has been eroding over the years as support for a national housing program ended and annual spending by all levels of government has declined since the early 1990s. Without a national housing strategy, the federal government deals with housing issues through a framework of crisis management and short‐term solutions.  In 2006, the government invested $1.4 billion over two years to address housing insecurity and homelessness. However, without a long‐term strategic plan that addresses core issues like income insecurity and housing affordability, this investment is not a move away from a short‐term crisis management approach.