CSPSC Releases 2025 – 2026 Year-End Report
The 2025–2026 academic year was a period of growth and renewal for the Centre for Studies on Poverty and Social Citizenship (CSPSC). With new leadership, an expanded Advisory Board, and increased organizational capacity, the Centre strengthened its role in supporting critical scholarship and public dialogue on poverty, inequality, social exclusion, and social citizenship.
Over the year, the CSPSC advanced research and knowledge mobilization through faculty research funding, the launch of the Conversations on Poverty and Social Citizenship series, and its annual Faculty Writing Retreat. It also continued to support graduate students through conference funding, mentorship, and opportunities to share their work with academic and public audiences. Community engagement remained central to these activities, including participation in national discussions on poverty and homelessness and developing partnerships across academic, community, government, and policy sectors.
A major highlight was the Housing Affordability Symposium, which brought together over 70 researchers, policymakers, practitioners, students, community members, and people with lived experience. The symposium examined the structural causes of Canada’s housing crisis and identified areas for collaborative action, including expanding affordable and non-market housing, strengthening homelessness prevention, and centring lived experience in housing policy.
This report provides an overview of the Centre’s leadership and governance, research and knowledge mobilization activities, community engagement, faculty and student support, communications and outreach, and financial position during 2025–2026. It concludes by outlining the Centre’s priorities for the coming year as it continues to expand its research capacity, strengthen partnerships, and contribute to more equitable policies and communities.