Research Assistant

The Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO) is a non-profit community legal clinic specializing in issues that affect tenants in Ontario and funded by Legal Aid Ontario.  ACTO’s work includes pursuing test case litigation, developing law reform initiatives, and providing training to other legal clinics to promote housing rights for low-income tenants. ACTO also manages the Tenant Duty Counsel Program (TDCP), a service that offers free legal advice to tenants appearing before the Landlord & Tenant Board.

We are seeking a Research Assistant to support a range of activities examining housing policies, regulations and programs.  This position presents an opportunity to pursue an interest in housing policy and advocacy, interact with a range of stakeholders, and contribute to ongoing policy processes.

Working collaboratively with ACTO’s legal & policy team, the Research Assistant will:

• Conduct research on housing trends and the impacts of policy changes and the COVID 19 pandemic on renter households, with a particular focus on medium size and small communities across Ontario
• Conduct jurisdictional scans of relevant policies and regulation on issues such as housing supports, social housing, and vital services bylaws
• Build a database of housing sector stakeholders, community organizations, and other stakeholders across Ontario
• Conduct literature reviews on relevant topics
• Work with policy team on data collection and analysis
• Support ongoing research and advocacy collaborations with housing stakeholders

REQUIREMENTS:

• Undergraduate and/or graduate education in political science, public policy, public affairs, urban studies, or similar disciplines
• Knowledge of (and interest in) housing policy, municipal governance, and urban planning
• Experience with social science research and digital databases
• Excellent research and writing skills
• Ability to take initiative, be resourceful, and gather information from various primary and secondary sources
• Strong ability to work independently and in teams
• Experience supporting interdisciplinary research
• Experience developing and conducting qualitative research and comprehensive literature reviews
• Experience reading and summarizing legislation and ability to work in French would be an asset

This is a one year contract position with a salary of $65,000.  Please send applications by March 24, 2023 to: , with the subject line: Research Assistant.

ACTO is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to establishing and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourages applications from equity seeking groups including but not limited to individuals of indigenous descent, individuals who identify at as LGBTQ2+, persons with disabilities, members of racialized communities, people of diverse faiths and creeds, and women.

We thank all applicants; however only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.