As the pandemic drags on, the suffering of Peterborough’s homeless population intensifies; the pandemic has magnified the inequality of resources throughout our community. Add to this the impact of the escalating real estate market on rental rates; adequate housing is moving further out of reach from more and more people. While several large housing projects are in development, will these projects have any impact on the homeless? Given the dire circumstances faced by so many people, could the addition of tiny homes to the city’s housing stock help the homeless? The answer is yes; these tiny homes of less than 350 square feet could make a huge difference. Our guest panel on housing and tiny homes — activist Dan Hennessey, community advocate Susan Gontier and modular construction executive Steven Haylestrom — examine the track record of tiny homes in other communities and outline their role in alleviating Peterborough’s extreme shortage of social and affordable housing. Tiny homes can also kickstart the development of caring communities that can provide hope and support for our most vulnerable citizens.

We’ve looked into the issue of homelessness and the broader issue of housing in these previous editions & episodes:

Edition #38 — Our Panel on Urban Planning Looks at Peterborough’s Future

Edition #40 — Our Panel Evaluates Peterborough’s Downtown

Edition #48 — Peterborough’s Housing Crisis: Our Panel Looks for Solutions

Edition #66 — Part 1: Our Politics Panel Tackles Homelessness in Peterborough

Edition #69 — Our Politics Panel on Peterborough’s Homeless & Enduring a Banal Election

Edition #73 –Evelyn Forget: Canada Needs a Basic Income Strategy

Episode #83 — What is the impact of the pandemic on Peterborough’s homeless people?

Episode #101 — What should Peterborough’s City Council focus on before the 2022 election?

This discussion –Episode #105–on homelessness and tiny homes was recorded on May 2 and broadcast over Trent Radio, 92.7 FM, on May 6th.