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Mayor Daniel Reynard and Members of Council
City of Kenora
City Hall, 1 Main Street South
Kenora, ON P9N 3X2
Dear Mayor and Members of Council:
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to congratulate the City of Kenora on taking steps to facilitate development of shelters, social housing, and other affordable housing, through amendments to your Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw.
Since the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) released our Policy on human rights and rental housing, we have worked with municipalities to help them realize Ontarians’ right to adequate housing without discrimination, by providing tools to help cities remove barriers in zoning bylaws and processes. The OHRC was pleased to be contacted by Kenora’s CAO Karen Brown regarding efforts to address its housing shortage, and to provide staff-level guidance on strategies to ensure human rights are upheld in planning.
We commend Kenora for removing planning barriers to better meet the range of housing needs across the city. We encourage Kenora, and municipalities across Ontario, to continue to identify and remove barriers to affordable housing. Secure and affordable housing is an essential step toward addressing poverty, and providing for safe, stable and equitable communities.
Sincerely,
Renu Mandhane, B.A., J.D., LL.M.
Chief Commissioner
cc: Karen Brown, CAO, City of Kenora
Patti Fairfield, Executive Director, Ne-Chee Friendship Centre
Liz Boucha, President, Kenora Métis Council
OHRC Commissioners