ABOUT
A growing number of people in Canada are faced with the challenges of the current housing crisis. Factors such elder abuse and ageism leave older adults particularly at risk and increasingly struggling with housing shortage, evictions, housing insecurity or homelessness. CNPEA and EAPO have invited a panel of experts to discuss what they know of current housing challenges, how and why they affect older people in Canada, as well as promising initiatives and policies that could provide intersectional, age-friendly solutions.
SPEAKERS
Moderated by: 
Margaret Young,
Founder of Age Knowble
Margaret Young, EMBA., Dip GERO., social entrepreneur and applied gerontologist. Margaret has an insatiable curiosity that fuels her desire to engage, understand, and connect people for action. Margaret’s career evolved from being an award-winning corporate professional to an agent of change for the welfare and human rights of older people. A key area of her current exploration is the connection between older people and social activism – whereby the older person is an actor of participation, contribution, and change in our quest for social justice and good.She is the founder of Age Knowble, a Canadian social good enterprise. Age Knowble, through intersectoral collaboration, empowers older persons and strengthens the ecosystems they live in. Along with her Age Knowble work, Margaret amplifies impact by volunteering with like-minded organizations such as the Pass it On Network, the ASEM Global Ageing Centre, and other older persons serving non-profits.
Panelists
Sarah Marsden, Director, Systems Change and Legal, First United
BA, LL.B, LL.M, PhD
Sarah first joined First United as a Staff Lawyer in early 2021, and later the same year, she gratefully accepted the opportunity to serve as Director, Systems Change and Legal. Sarah has worked in the legal field for over 20 years, including work as an advocate, as a lawyer, and in legal research and education. She is passionate about understanding how legal systems affect the most vulnerable and seeking pathways to a more just society through law reform and advocacy. She approaches this work with hope that legal change can be a part of reconciliation in action.
In 2021, Sarah led the development of First United’s Eviction Mapping project, a British-Columbia wide initiative documenting the impact of evictions as part First United’s housing justice work. The results will be used to inform First United’s law reform work in the area of residential tenancy law and beyond.
Sarah has a degree in Philosophy from York University, a law degree and a Masters degree in law from the University of Victoria, and a PhD in law from the University of British Columbia. When she’s not reading legislation, she can be found running in the North Shore mountains or knitting colourful socks.
Mari-Anne Godlonton brings over 20 years of non-profit and leadership experience to the Kerby Shelter at Unison. She is on a mission to create a stable, equitable and safe housing option for the most vulnerable seniors, regardless of their socio-economic background. Mari-Anne’s firm beliefs that advocacy and relationship building are key to wide scale change, have helped Kerby Centre to broaden their reach within the community, creating positive change, one life at a time.
Shelley Yeo has been a part of and a witness to the changes related to services for women and their families in London, Ontario and beyond for over 40 years. Shelley is Co-founder and Co-Chair of All Our Sisters, a national network on security of housing and safe communities for women and girls coast to coast to coast. She has in the past been the Co-Chair of the London Coordinating Committee to End Woman Abuse (LCCEWA), Executive member of the London Homeless Coalition for more years than she can count, Co-founder of Women’s Events Committee, current member of the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Supports, current member of Thalia, a wilderness retreat for women, and has participated on several other community committees and boards.
Community awareness, development and coordination within a relational practice are of particular interest to Shelley. She loves spending time with her grandchildren, practicing yoga & meditation, cooking, entertaining, travelling, watching gardens grow and stepping out of her comfort zone on occasion. While doing all of this, Shelley continues to challenge herself and others with maintaining the vision of a world where we are all free to make personal choices and to live in peace.
RESOURCES FROM THE WEBINAR
- All Our Sisters:
- All our Sisters Approach to Women’s Homelessness in Canadian communities
- A Framework for Ending Women’s And Girls’ Homelessness
- https://www.homelesshub.ca
- Ending women and Girls Homelessness to Coast to Coast
- Housing, Homelessness & Violence Against Women - First United:
First United's BC Eviction Mapping Project - Kerby Shelter at Unison (Calgary):
https://unisonalberta.com/elder-abuse - Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People
https://rightsofolderpeople.org - List of sheltering programs for older adults in Canada
Click here for infographic - Aging in Uncertainty: The Growing Housing Crisis for BC Seniors (United Way of British Columbia)
Read the report here
