[homeles_ot-l] ATEH in Ottawa Xpress on fed. budget & homeless & housing

[Lynne Browne]

Hi everyone – here’s some good coverage by Sara Falconer on 2nd page of
Ottawa Xpress – HYPERLINK
"http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/default.aspx"http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/default.
aspx . Their website invites comments (left column). Lynne

 

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February 5th, 2009
Community Garden 

 

Budget Roundup

Sara Falconer 
 
Whatever end of the political spectrum you lean towards, nobody envies the
job of any politician trying to put together a budget these days. On Jan.
27, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty revealed the federal budget and stimulus
package, and reactions are predictably mixed. 

Somewhat surprisingly, the Tories have pledged to spend in excess of
$400-million on the arts and on festivals over the next two years - money
that the Independent Media Arts Alliance hopes will go to historically
underfunded independent media projects, including film, video and new media.


In the largest infrastructure spend in Canadian history, about $12-billion
in new money is earmarked for roads, bridges, railways, public transit,
Internet access, schools and recreation centres. A $404-million upgrade to
Via Rail tracks should improve express service in the
Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto corridor, and $1-billion over five years will go
towards a Green Infrastructure Fund for sustainable energy. 

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been pledged for housing, but the
Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH) in Ottawa worries that the money isn't
going into the right hands - the homeless and those individuals and families
who could soon lose their homes in the economic downturn. 

"Most of the new dollars will flow quickly to those who need the least help
- people who already own their home and want to do renovations," says Marion
Wright, the group's vice-chair. She believes that at least 30 per cent of
housing infrastructure spending should be used for people who are homeless
or living on such low incomes that they can afford less than $400 per month
in rent. 

Prior to the budget announcement, ATEH called on the Conservatives to commit
$2.5-billion in affordable housing over two years, which they say would
create 30,000 to 50,000 units of housing across the country - 470 to 555
units in Ottawa. Last year, only 73 affordable housing units were built in
the city. 

This investment, they argue, could ultimately reduce annual costs of
$4.6-billion to the Canadian taxpayer. They estimate that more than 1.4
million households fall into the Core Housing Need bracket, and 300,000
Canadians are homeless - 8,915 in Ottawa alone. And if you are feeling a
recession pinch, you can bet that it is a more dire squeeze on lower income,
single-parent, immigrant and aboriginal families and seniors. Investment in
housing, Wright adds, keeps Ottawa's construction industry working. 

"Canada needs big investments in affordable housing right now to make up for
years of spending cuts and neglect... But it is also an excellent way to
stimulate the economy." 
 

 

 

Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)

147 Besserer St., Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7

613-241-7913, ext. 205, Cell 613-513-6647

HYPERLINK "http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca"www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca


 

 


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