As we reported in our HALCO news Spring 2013 newsletter (page 7), HALCO and a number of other organizations applied to intervene in the Right to Housing Charter Challenge.
Justice Lederer of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted intervener status to three of the five coalitions that applied to intervene. HALCO is part of the disability-related issues coalition, which is one of the two coalitions not granted standing. We are disappointed that our coalition of representatives of equality seeking groups, including people with HIV and other disabilities, was denied standing.
The three coalitions that were granted the right to intervene are:
- Amnesty International and ESCR.Net
- The David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights, and
- Income Security Advocacy Centre, Charter Committee on Poverty Issues, Justice for Girls, Pivot Legal Society.
The Right to Housing (R2H) challenge was brought by four individuals and the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) as the applicants. The applicants’ position is that the governments of Canada and Ontario are in violation of the Charter for their failure to address, and their contribution to, the growing crisis of homelessness and inadequate housing.
The Attorneys General of Ontario and Canada (AGs) are seeking to have the Right to Housing application struck.
The motions will be heard by Justice Lederer on May 27 and 28, 2013, at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.