Summer Learning Loss and Housing Instability in the GTA

Bridging the Summer Learning Gap Through Housing Stability — A young student reads in a quiet moment inside a temporary shelter — highlighting the impact of housing instability on learning during the summer months.

Each summer, thousands of students across the Greater Toronto Area fall behind academically due to the so-called “summer slide.” But for many low-income families, it’s not just the lack of structured programming that contributes to learning loss—it’s housing instability. When rent increases force families to relocate or enter shelters, children lose not just their homes but their schools, routines, and access to summer enrichment programs.

The Overlap Between Housing and Education

Research has long shown a correlation between stable housing and educational outcomes. In the GTA, this link becomes even more critical over the summer months when school supports are minimal and many students lack access to reliable Wi-Fi, study space, and safe neighborhoods.

Key challenges:

Evictions peak in late spring and early summer, disrupting students just before summer programs begin.
Temporary housing and shelters often lack the infrastructure or resources for summer learning.
Families forced to relocate may lose eligibility for localized summer school or day camps.

Why Summer Matters
The summer learning gap can account for up to two-thirds of the achievement gap between low-income and higher-income students by Grade 9. Students experiencing homelessness or housing instability are at the highest risk of falling behind permanently.

While school boards and nonprofits offer some summer programming, access is often dependent on stable housing, postal code, or transit access. Without secure housing, many families fall through the cracks.

Proposed Solutions: Building Learning Into Housing Policy

Summer Support Hubs at Affordable Housing Sites
- Partner with school boards and community organizations to create on-site summer learning spaces at affordable housing buildings.
- Provide free internet, books, meals, and tutoring to youth.
Housing Stability Grants for Families With School-Aged Children
- Launch a targeted summer housing grant to prevent evictions from May to August.
- Ensure no child loses housing during critical academic transitions.
Priority Access to Summer Programming for At-Risk Youth
- Expand access to free day camps, lunch programs, and transit for children in shelters and transitional housing.
Integrated Data Between Housing and School Systems
- Create better communication channels between housing providers and schools to track student displacement.
- Proactively enroll displaced students in summer academic support.

A Call to Action for Policymakers

Education and housing policy cannot operate in silos. If we want to address the root causes of academic inequality in the GTA, we must treat housing as an educational issue. By aligning summer housing supports with learning opportunities, we can prevent vulnerable students from falling further behind.

As we head into the summer of 2025, the time is now to bridge this overlooked gap.

Keys to the City is GTA Weekly’s weekly look at affordable housing projects and policy solutions across the Greater Toronto Area. Follow us every Monday for more.