Walter Gordon Symposium 2026 – Rethinking Canada’s Affordability Crisis: Cross-Sectoral Perspectives, Challenges, and Solutions

Addressing the rising cost of living and advancing efforts to secure adequate access to housing, food security, and healthcare have dominated the public policy agenda for virtually all levels of government, both at home and across the globe. In Canada alone, a growing number of households report difficulty meeting basic needs deepening well-documented socio-economic disparities experienced by traditionally underrepresented and historically neglected communities. Even as governments offer domestic-level interventions, these efforts are largely shaped by broader global forces such as the supply-chain management crisis, geopolitical conflicts, and the climate crisis.

 

Hosted by the Public Policy Program at Massey College and the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, this year’s Walter Gordon Symposium will bring together decision-makers, community leaders, academics, and individuals with lived and living experience to not only discuss the current state of the affordability crisis but also co-develop evidence-based solutions in addressing this rapidly evolving challenge.