News & Updates

The latest updates can be found directly on our home page!

Following the successful 2019 Community Housing Forum, the SPCK&D envisioned this website as a means of hosting social planning and housing-related information and resources for the Kingston community. Please find content related to community success stories and challenges, SPCK&D events and reports, and other information provided below.

Please email spckingston00@gmail.com to be put on our mailing list or to suggest content!

Queen's University School of Urban and Regional Planning Master's Report by Michaella Hynes (May 2022)

This research study, completed by one of our Board Members, Michaella Hynes, investigates the processes of eco-gentrification as they related to the Ontario context. Eco-gentrification is a rising affordable housing concern as it relates to property value surges, resident displacement, and socio-demographic change in lower-income and ethnically diverse neighbourhoods as a result of investment in urban green space. Please refer to the report provided below to learn more about eco-gentrification and potential mitigation strategies applicable to Kingston.

Hynes, Michaella - Masters Report.pdf

Update on Luke's Place Kingston - Now a Registered Charity (April 2022)

The following summary statement highlights a recent community success story. With support from corporations such as the SPCK&D, Luke's Place Kingston has achieved registered charitable status and is now one step closer to providing affordable housing. Please refer to the Luke's Place Kingston summary provided below for more information.

Update on Luke's Place Kingston.pdf

Seniors For Social Action (SSAO) Action Alert Concerning a Summary of Party Platforms on Eldercare (April 2022)

Concerning the upcoming provincial election, SSAO has provided an Action Alert concerning a summary of party platforms on eldercare. The summary also includes SSAO's decision to support the Liberal party ideas because of their transformational nature - moving away from the institutional model of eldercare and towards a system of home and community care. Specific actions are noted therein. Please refer to the SSAO summary provided below for more information.

Action_Alert_Election_Platforms.01.pdf

Community Conversations and Action: Outreach to Local Community Leaders on the Reform of Eldercare & Long Term Care in Ontario (April 2022)

Building on our Housing Alternative for Seniors: Aging in Community webinar this month, the following report provides information on the Seniors For Social Action (SSAO). The report includes resources on alternatives for seniors as well as statements for reform being advocated for during the provincial election. Please refer to the SSAO website provided Here for more information about the organization and their goals for change.

Community Conversations on Home and Community Care (1).pdf

Webinar on Housing Alternative for Seniors: Aging in Community (April 2022)

This month, the SPCK&D invited Peter Clutterbuck and Doug Cartan from Seniors For Social Action (SSAO) to present housing alternatives for seniors. Representatives from OASIS also presented a briefing on their research study. Please find presentation slides, contacts of guest speakers, and more information provided on our Webinar page.

Applications Now Open! 3 student planning intern positions are available for the summer of 2022 (March 2022)

The SPCK&D is currently looking to hire three student planning interns for summer 2022.  If interested in learning more about the job positions, please find the job posting attached below.

Social Planning Council of Kingston, AD Summer Interns, 2022.docx

Community Housing Forum 2021 (October 2021)

This month, the SPCK&D hosted our annual Community Housing Forum on October 19th, 20th and 21st. The three-part Housing Forum invited several guest speakers including Graeme Hussey and Ken Foulds to present community solutions for the unaffordable housing crisis in Kingston. Breakout groups also allowed community participants to collaborate on strategies to prioritize equity and partnerships and to brainstorm ideas on non-traditional resources and funding to support affordable housing strategies. Please find the presentation slides, Community Housing Forum report, and more information provided on our Community Housing Forum 2021 page.

Report on Kingston's Third Sector Housing (September 2021)

This past summer, student planning interns Holly Crawford and Michaella Hynes researched Kingston's Third Sector Housing, presenting findings on the importance of community-led affordable housing initiatives. If interested in learning more about this important housing sector, please find the report attached below.

Profile of Kingston's Third Sector Housing.pdf

Webinar on Tiny Homes (June 2021)

This month, the SPCK&D completed our three-part webinar series with presentations by our chair Patricia Streich and Kevin Beauchamp who presented on tiny homes and affordable housing. Please find presentation slides, contacts of guest speakers, and more information provided on our Webinar page.

Webinar on Community Benefits and Affordable Housing (April 2021)

This month, the SPCK&D invited our own chair, Patricia Streich and Steve Pomeroy who presented on community benefits and affordable housing. Please find presentation slides, contacts of guest speakers, and more information provided on our Webinar page.

Webinar on Equity and Urban Planning (February 2021)

This month, the SPCK&D began a new webinar series. The SPCK&D invited Queen's University planning students to present research on current trends in municipal equity planning and best practices for community land trusts and community benefits agreements. Please find the presentation slides, contacts of guest speakers, and more information on our Webinar page.

Residents Displaced - Fire in Verona (January 2021)

Earlier in January, a fire broke out in the Carleton Drive apartment building, which is owned and operated by Kingston Frontenac Housing Corporation. This fire has left residents displaced. Please find attached the letter written by SPCK&D in support of these residents.


SPC Letter to Verona, Jan. 2021 .pdf

Backgrounder on Community Benefits (December 2020)

Kingston needs to consider how new developments could provide community benefits and help create more affordable places to live for all Kingstonians. The SPCK&D seeks to promote discussion about these missed opportunities that were not dealt with in the 2020 Mayor’s Task Force Report even though its own consultant proposed the use of inclusionary zoning tools (see Report by Barry Lyon (2020)).

FINAL BACKGROUNDER_IZ and CAC_Jan_2021.pdf

Interested in learning about what the SPCK&D has been doing this year? (December 2020)

Please find attached the Annual Report Video 2020 presented by our chair, Patricia Streich 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zj9z2wOXQpsGAE5SRJIgNyugYnb9h-Q2/view?usp=sharing

Webinar on Supportive Affordable Housing (October 2020)

This month, the SPCK&D completed our three-part webinar series with presentations by Kyla Tanner, Jena Bailey, Julie Kingston, and Mitchell Grange. Please find presentation slides, contacts of guest speakers, and more information provided on our Webinar page.

Webinar with the Community Housing Transformation Centre (August 2019)

This month, the SPCK&D invited Stephan Corriveau to present information about the Community Housing Transformation Centre. Please find presentation slides, contacts of guest speakers, and more information provided on our Webinar page.

Webinar on the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Strategy (June 2020)

This month, the SPCK&D began our webinar series with a presentation on the National Housing Strategy and Affordable Housing Programs by Jamie Shipley. Please find presentation slides, contacts of guest speakers, and more information provided on our Webinar page.

SPCK&D Webinar Series (September 2020)

Over the last few months, the SPCK&D partnered with Development Services Ontario (DSO) to produce Webinars on a range of housing topics.

Please find presentation slides, contacts, and more information on our Webinar page. 

A Community Tribute to Terri Fleming

September 6, 2020 - Text prepared by Patricia Streich (patricia.streich@queensu.ca)

On August 31, 2020, Kingston lost a long-time, tireless worker for people who struggle with homelessness and all life’s challenges.  Terri Fleming left a challenge to all of us – to ‘do an act for social change’ – and the community who knew her well will strive to meet that goal.

Terri walked that path every day, first at Interval House and then for 20 years at Ryandale’s homeless shelter.  She worked hands-on with hundreds of people.  At Kingston Interval House she helped support women and children who had left violent homes and turned to the community for help.  As Pam Havery of Interval House notes, “Terri worked at Kingston Interval House during the 1990s.  She was a fierce advocate for women and their children experiencing gender- based violence.  Her commitment to improving the lives of those facing poverty and homelessness was steadfast.”  A colleague who worked with Terri at Interval House praises Terri’s “incredible combination of moral integrity, good judgement, diplomacy and compassion’’.   She goes on to say how they continued to work together fighting for social justice in the years that followed. 

Scott Woodall worked with Terri from 1998 when she joined Ryandale Housing until her retirement as its Executive Director almost 20 years later.  He says: “Terri had many wonderful gifts – her patience, wisdom, humour and most especially her true compassion for people and the ability to see the true, deep-seated issues that may have led to their homelessness or personal issues.”

During Terri’s years at Ryandale, the shelter was enlarged twice.  Ryandale was the first homeless shelter in Kingston to have wheel-chair accessibility, and the first shelter to house entire families – men, women and children.  Terri was instrumental in opening the Ryandale Transition House that continues to support men making the transition from homelessness caused by addictions, health issues or when released from corrections institutions.

Through all those years, Kingston’s shelters and emergency services worked together to help as many people as possible, to keep people housed, and to support them through struggling times.  As another housing advocate notes: “Terri practiced collaborative leadership to get results through collective intelligence.  She fostered healthy exchange within groups and reached beyond to others who could further the cause of social justice for vulnerable people.  Terri was truly inspirational.”  (Alice Gazeley, Social Planning Council of Kingston). 

During the years from 2010 to 2014 when the City created its first housing plan, Terri was an outspoken advocate for the emergency shelters and the need to build support for the most disadvantaged in the community.  She joined with others in the shelter system and agencies to call for expanded services for those with nowhere to go.  Terri was active in a community housing action group which made many presentations to Council and met repeatedly with city staff and council members to advocate for changes in Kingston’s housing plan.  The community housing action group spoke loudly at Council many times to oppose closing shelters in 2014.  Sadly, all those words fell on deaf ears and the City decided to close emergency shelters.  Ryandale’s emergency shelter was closed by the City in 2014 – the City simply cut-off operating funding and it was forced to close its doors.  Ryandale had to sell its emergency shelter property though it managed to keep its transitional housing open for people who needed a longer time to transition into their own housing.

In 2017-19, Terri volunteered her time as a member of the City’s Homelessness and Housing Committee where she continued to raise concerns about the City’s homelessness and housing plan and the continuing homelessness problems.

All of us who worked with Terri admired her resilient spirit and good humour throughout her years of hard work for the most vulnerable people in our community.  We shall miss her voice as we strive for social justice and social change.

On behalf of:

Patricia Streich, Marijana Matovic, Marilyn and Matthew Birmingham, Barb Butler, Tara Kainer, Irene Watt, Kay Langmuir and many others.

SPCK&D Statement on Systemic Injustice  (February 2020)

The Social Planning Council of Kingston and District (SPCK&D) shares the concerns expressed in the statement by the Social Planning Network of Ontario (SPNO) about the tragic deaths of Black people in the US.  Subsequently, we have been shocked by the deaths of Indigenous and Black people here in Canada, showing us that systemic injustice has deep roots in our communities that need to be addressed.  

The SPCK&D is committed to the principle of inclusion for all members of our communities. For ninety years, the SPCK&D has spoken out and will continue to speak out against systemic inequality, racism, and all forms of injustice that plague our nation and local home communities.

SPCK&D adopts a broader, inclusive understanding of systemic discrimination against Indigenous and Black communities, LBGTQ2+ folks, and other marginalized groups, as well as vulnerable people, such as, the elderly, abused women and children, those experiencing homelessness and living on limited incomes, those living with mental illnesses and other disabilities, refugees, and others.  

While we abhor systemic injustice, we must celebrate the multitude of individuals who, despite discriminative injustice, have succeeded and have become inspiring citizens locally, nationally, and globally, and are lives we can emulate as we strive for systemic equity and justice.

-        SPCK&D Board Members 

SPCK&D submission to the Mayor's Task Force on Housing (August 2019)

Following the Housing Forum in May 2019, the SPC has submitted a formal response to the Mayor's Task Force on Housing.  Please find attached the document found here

Welcome to the new SPCK&D Website (June 2019)

Following the successful Housing Forum discussions in May 2019, the SPCK&D has set up a new site to host information and resources. It is still a work in progress so please bare with us while we get the site up and running!