Our Team

Helen Harris

Principal, Housing Policy and Research

As SHS's Principal, Housing Policy and Research, Helen manages interdisciplinary project teams on a diverse range of housing policy and research projects, and plays a key role in developing and shaping strategic directions, intent and desired impact to support housing opportunities across Canada.

Helen has ten years of experience in social and housing policy and program delivery. She brings a deep understanding of community housing having focused her career in various frontline, policy and leadership roles in this sector. Before joining SHS, Helen spent over five years working at the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) most recently holding the position of Senior Manager, Policy, Research and Education where she led organizational priorities and provided strategic direction through major sectoral shifts. Prior to joining ONPHA, Helen worked in frontline community housing roles with the YWCA Toronto and the Bruce County Housing Corporation.

Current work

Helen is currently working on projects supported through the National Housing Strategy's Demonstration Initiative and Housing Supply Challenge. She is also leading a housing model evaluation for an Ontario organization that is developing a new approach to housing services for individuals living with autism.

Education

Master of Arts, Public Policy and Administration (Ryerson University)

Master of Social Work (University of Toronto)

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology (Wilfrid Laurier University)

Connect

Mailing Address
77 Bloor Street West, Suite 600
Toronto, ON
M5S 1M2

Contact
905-763-7555
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Privacy Statement

Land Acknowledgement • At SHS we acknowledge the lands we are on are the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples and are now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that the location of our office in Toronto is covered by Treaty 13. In our work, we strive to continually reflect on our relationship to the land we are currently inhabiting and how our role as actors in the housing system can support the reconciliation process.