Revitalizing Winnipeg’s SRO Sector
The LIFT initiative supports the goal of achieving 20% community housing in Canada by preserving and revitalizing 150 affordable units and creating a replicable model for low-barrier, supportive housing. Through tenant-led governance and partnerships with academic institutions, it empowers residents while addressing the needs of marginalized populations.
LIFT demonstrates the viability of community-driven solutions, fostering advocacy and influencing policy for greater investment in the sector. Its scalable approach and collaboration build momentum for broader housing efforts, ensuring more units can be developed and supported, contributing meaningfully to the growth of community housing across Canada.
From shelter to community: The tenant-led transformation of the McLaren hotel
The LIFT initiative, led by Equal Housing Initiative (EHI), was designed to breathe new life into Winnipeg’s single room occupancy (SRO) sector, beginning with the revitalization of the McLaren Hotel. With 150 units in the heart of Winnipeg, this SRO building serves as the first step towards addressing a housing crisis affecting some of the city’s most vulnerable populations.
LIFT is aimed not only at improving living conditions but also to empower residents through active participation. By involving tenants in decision-making processes, LIFT goes beyond traditional housing renovation projects, it integrates social benefits, tenant empowerment, and academic collaboration to create a new model for housing and community engagement.
The knowledge gained from the LIFT initiative is being applied as EHI prepares to open a 12-unit project in Winnipeg, where they aim to replicate successful strategies in a smaller group setting based on the teaching model developed with students and tenants. Key lessons include the importance of long-term, acute support for individuals living with addictions, recognizing that short-term solutions are often ineffective.
A key innovation of the initiative is the development of a tenant-led governance structure. Drawing from lived experiences, tenants are empowered to lead and guide the transformation of their own living environment. The initial tenant group for the LIFT initiative was selected based on a self-assessment conducted by the tenants themselves, ensuring representation of the diverse community within the building, including Indigenous residents, men and women, and those with lived experience of violence or fleeing violence.
The group determined the necessary voices and perspectives to ensure that all 150 residents were properly represented in the decision-making process. As the Executive Director of Equal Housing Initiative, Rick Lees, explained, the core objective was to create a self-directing tenant group capable of advocating for themselves and driving change within their community. The process is not just about improving physical space but also about fostering tenants’ ability to engage in decision-making for the betterment of their environment.
Tenants contributed to the initial needs assessment. However, introducing formal governance practices, such as establishing “terms of reference,” was initially met with resistance. Many tenants, particularly those who have spent years in unstable living conditions, were more concerned with immediate issues like heating and safety rather than abstract governance structures. Students from local universities and colleges played a vital role. Internships and practicums in fields like social work are often not centered on frontline work. LIFT sought to break away from this traditional model by integrating students directly into frontline work with tenants, giving them an opportunity to gain real-world experience in a meaningful way.
In collaboration with the Faculty of Social Work and other academic partners, LIFT brought in third-year social work students who worked closely with tenants of the McLaren Hotel. This model allowed students to engage directly with people facing homelessness, mental health challenges, and other social issues. The students became part of the group, learning from the tenants and working together to address their needs.
The results were transformative for both students and residents (residents continue to meet every week). According to Lees, the students found that the residents with lived experience taught them more about homelessness, mental health, and building trust than they would ever have learned in a traditional academic setting. The hands-on, peer-driven model not only enriched the students’ education but also built a deeper sense of empathy. Their direct involvement strengthened the relationship between academia, social work, and community-based practice.
Equal Housing Initiative (EHI) focuses on converting single room occupancy (SRO) hotels into low-barrier, supportive housing for marginalized individuals, including those struggling with addictions and mental health challenges. Their approach prioritizes stability countering traditional models where individuals may lose housing after a relapse. Instead, EHI’s model offers support through a range of services, ensuring tenants are assisted at various levels.
