As we honour Juneteenth—a day that marks the delayed emancipation of enslaved Black people in the U.S.—we also reflect on the parallel legacies of slavery, colonialism, and anti-Black racism here in Canada. Though often overlooked, Black communities across this country have faced generations of displacement, exclusion, and housing injustice, from Africville in Nova Scotia to Hogan’s Alley Historic here in Vancouver.

The launch of this Housing Solutions Lab is part of a broader movement for housing justice—one that honours the past and builds toward a future daylighting a historical context: it seeks to confront structural inequities in housing systems and contribute to solutions rooted in racial justice, community leadership, and systemic change. On Juneteenth, a day of reflection and commitment, we affirm that equitable housing is not just a policy goal—it is a necessary part of Black liberation in Canada.

The HSL research project was designed to address a critical question:
What does a just and equitable housing future look like for Black communities in Metro Vancouver?

Meet the Researchers:
→ Quantitative Research: Dr. Nemoy Lewis & Dimitri Panou
→ Qualitative Research: Dr. Marie Cecile Kotyk & Modupe Bankole-Longe

Our final reports explore that future in detail, combining data-driven analysis and lived experience to show how we get there.