Thriving at Year 5 means maintaining stable housing, income sufficient to meet obligations without panic, protected credit, no reliance on emergency supports, and the ability to make strategic decisions calmly within the system.

The Family and Healthcare Support Guide and Checklist The Family and Health Support Guide and Checklist has been created as a standing resource for these kinds of questions. It is not an announcement or a one‑time project. It is a page you can bookmark, return to, and share with family, friends, or clients whenever health or family needs shift.

What ‘rent‑controlled’ really means “Rent‑controlled” does not mean your rent will never go up. It means the law limits how much a landlord can increase the rent each year for certain units, usually by setting a guideline or percentage cap, while still allowing regular, smaller increases over time. These rules can change depending on where you live and how old your building is, so two neighbours in different provinces—or even in different buildings on the same street might

Canada’s 2026 rental landscape is defined by high overall rents, more supply coming online, and landlords using stricter screening to choose among many applicants. Even though vacancy rates have risen compared with earlier years, lower‑rent units still have very low vacancy and remain hard to secure, so renters with modest incomes continue to feel intense pressure.

Housing instability is the space between “securely housed” and “homeless,” where a household is technically indoors but their housing situation could change quickly. It can look like struggling to pay rent, moving frequently, living in overcrowded or unsafe conditions, or relying on short‑term arrangements that might end at any time. People in unstable housing often experience more stress, health challenges and financial pressure, even before a formal eviction or displacement