An Affordable housing documentary screening Oshawa residents can attend will take place Monday evening in downtown Oshawa, focusing on Canada’s growing housing affordability crisis and potential solutions for local communities.
Oshawa Ward 4 Councillor Derek Giberson is launching a new series of housing-focused townhalls aimed at addressing one of the most pressing issues facing Durham Region — the lack of genuinely affordable housing. The first event in the series will feature a public screening of the documentary Thinking Beyond the Market: A Film About Genuinely Affordable Housing.
The event will be held at the Back Door Mission for the Relief of Poverty, located at 66 Simcoe Street South in downtown Oshawa. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with the film screening beginning at 6:30 p.m. The event is free to attend, though residents are encouraged to pre-register online to reserve their spot.
The Affordable housing documentary screening Oshawa event will be followed by a discussion and question-and-answer session with Dr. Brian Doucet, the filmmaker and an Associate Professor in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo. Dr. Doucet’s film examines innovative housing solutions being implemented in various Canadian communities and explores strategies that could be adapted locally.
Councillor Giberson said the townhall series is intended to spark meaningful conversations about why the housing system has become unaffordable for so many Canadians — including individuals and families with modest incomes who continue to struggle to find suitable and secure housing.
“How did we get into a housing affordability crisis? Just as important, how do we solve it?” are the central questions guiding the event, according to organizers.
The documentary takes viewers across Canada to communities that are implementing bold and creative approaches to housing challenges. These include non-market housing initiatives, community-driven developments, and policy innovations designed to provide long-term affordability rather than short-term market solutions.
Giberson emphasized that the event is open to anyone concerned about the direction of Canada’s housing system, particularly those who feel it has failed working individuals and lower-income residents.
The Affordable housing documentary screening Oshawa initiative is part of a broader effort to encourage community engagement and policy dialogue within Durham Region. As housing costs continue to rise across Oshawa, Ajax, Whitby, Pickering, and Clarington, discussions around sustainable and equitable housing solutions are becoming increasingly urgent.
The Back Door Mission, a long-standing downtown Oshawa organization dedicated to poverty relief and community support, is co-presenting the event. Its involvement reflects the direct connection between housing affordability and broader social issues such as poverty, homelessness, and community stability.
Organizers hope that the townhall format will allow residents to share perspectives, ask questions, and contribute ideas about how Oshawa can implement practical, community-driven solutions to address housing affordability.
With housing affordability remaining a major topic across Ontario and Canada, the Affordable housing documentary screening Oshawa event provides an opportunity for residents to learn, engage, and explore meaningful action steps at the local level.
