[homeles_ot-l] FW: Federal government once again boycotts critical national housing summit- WI

[Lynne Browne]

FYI . . . Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)

147 Besserer St., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7

613-241-7913, ext. 205

www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca <http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/> 

  _____  

From: Michael Shapcott [mailto:Michael at wellesleyinstitute.com] 
Sent: August 13, 2009 11:03 AM
To: Michael Shapcott
Subject: WI backgrounder: Federal government once again boycotts critical
national housing summit

 

TORONTO: Provincial and territorial housing ministers are meeting August 19
in St John's, NL, but the federal housing minister has rejected an
invitation to join the national summit. It is the second time the federal
government has refused to meet with provincial housing counterparts in two
years. In June, after criticism for failing to meet its housing obligations,
the federal government promised in a formal note to the United Nations that:
"the Government of Canada commits to continuing to explore ways to enhance
efforts to address poverty and housing issues, in collaboration with
provinces and territories." 

 

The federal government promised $1 billion in new housing funding this year,
and another $1 billion next year, and has made other short-term housing
announcements in recent years. At the same time, the federal government has
quietly reduced its housing supports (the number of households assisted
under federal programs will drop by 10% from 2001 to 2013 even as affordable
housing needs continue to rise). Over the past two decades, there has been a
significant erosion in the federal role in affordable housing while
provincial and municipal investments have increased. If recent trends
continue, municipalities will out-spend the federal government within the
next two years. 

 

"Canadians are suffering a nation-wide affordable housing crisis that is
deep and persistent," says Michael Shapcott, Director of Affordable Housing
and Social Innovation at the Wellesley Institute. "The last time federal,
provincial and territorial housing ministers met, four years ago, they
tentatively agreed on a new framework for a national housing plan. But there
has been no progress since then on a plan that would include targets and
timelines, adequate funding, monitoring and ongoing assessment. The federal
government needs to get back to the table, and other key partners should
also be invited, including municipalities, Aboriginal groups, and
representatives of the non-profit and private sectors."

 

The Wellesley Institute will soon release a comprehensive housing report
called The State of the Nation's Housing 2009. Some key findings from that
research are posted in a two-page backgrounder (PDF file attached, and also
available at www.wellesleyinstitute.com) and include: 

 

Lagging federal investments: Federal affordable housing investments have
been stagnant, falling behind inflation and population increases. At $64 per
capita, the federal government spends a little more than half the average of
provinces and territories. 

 

Nation-wide affordable housing crisis: Across Canada, about 1.5 million
renter households, and 1.5 million owner households, are paying more than
30% of their income on housing - the commonly accepted threshold for being
precariously housed.

 

***

 

The Wellesley Institute is an independent, non-partisan, and pragmatic urban
think tank that works at the national, provincial, and local levels to
advance urban health issues.  We conduct our work within four core pillars:
Affordable Housing, Healthcare Reform, Social Innovation, and Immigrant
Health and do so through rigorous research, pragmatic policy solutions and
community action.

 

 

***

 

Michael Shapcott | Director, Affordable Housing and Social Innovation |
Wellesley Institute 

45 Charles St E, Suite 101                    Tel: 416.972.1010 ext 231
Toronto, ON, Canada,  M4Y 1S2           Mobile: 416.605.8316  
E-mail:   michael at wellesleyinstitute.com

 

www.wellesleyinstitute.com

rigorous research. pragmatic policy solutions. social innovation. community
action.

 

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