Toronto is experiencing a growing housing affordability crisis. In 2016, nearly one in five Canadian adults aged 25 to 34 lived in unaffordable housing, defined as spending 30% or more of pre-tax income on housing. Although relatively little is known about the housing experiences of Latin American newcomers in Toronto, research from other Canadian cities suggests that this population is more likely to experience economic insecurity and unstable employment, factors that heighten the likelihood of precarious housing, displacement, and homelessness.
Housing precarity does not only determine where people live; it also shapes daily food practices. Limited or shared access to kitchens, food storage, and dining spaces influences food purchasing patterns, meal frequency, cooking methods, and the ability to maintain cultural food traditions.
This work draws on data from Donde Vivimos, a larger community-engaged research project conducted in partnership with a Toronto-based organization that works directly with Latin American newcomer families.
In this Science Talk, Marianne Lahaie Luna will present ongoing research with three core objectives:
1 To describe the challenges Latin American newcomers face when securing housing upon arrival in Canada;
2 To examine how precarious housing conditions—particularly limited access to food preparation and storage—shape food behaviours;
3 To highlight the importance of sustained community partnership in producing research that is relevant, responsive, and actionable.
This work underscores housing as a social determinant of health and demonstrates how collaborative research can support more equitable policy and program responses.
Speaker
Marianne Lahaie Luna
