[homeles_ot-l] Canada’s Social Housing Sector Calls for Federal Investment in 100,000 New Affordable Homes

[Mike Bulthuis]

Hi everyone,

This morning on Parliament Hill, a national coalition of housing sector
leaders released a joint statement - *a clear articulation of how the 2016
federal budget could help advance housing outcomes here in Ottawa and
across the country. *

Last year, the Alliance became a member organization of CHRA, and we are
proud to support this statement, calling for a national housing strategy
that includes:

   1. Protection and renewal of existing social housing assets
   2. Building 100,000 new homes
   3. Supporting community transformation and innovation

The statement, and the areas of federal investment it identifies, directs
attention to needs across the spectrum of housing need. In addition to
building new and protecting existing housing, it calls for enhancements to
the federal Homelessness Partnering Strategy - increased funding and
adapted eligibility requirements to stretch federal investment further.

The News Release - with embedded links to the Joint Statement - is found
below.

Mike.
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*Canada's Housing Sector Calls for 100,000 New Affordable Homes *

Thursday, February 4, 2016


*Access to the middle class and elimination of homelessness depend on
adequate affordable housing supply.*

Today during a press conference on Parliament Hill, a coalition of seven
housing sector leaders released a joint statement, Affordable housing: a
foundation for social inclusion
<http://chra-achru.ca/sites/default/files/pre-budget_2016_housing.pdf> in
anticipation of the federal budget.

Sector leaders call on the government to include the following components
in its upcoming federal budget: protect and renew existing social housing
assets; build 100,000 new social and affordable housing units; and support
community transformation and innovation.

“It’s time to tackle Canada’s affordable housing crisis in order to restore
this important pathway into Canada’s middle class,” said Canadian Housing
and Renewal Association Executive Director Jeff Morrison, “and housing
investment is a solution that can advance many government objectives as
described in several of the ministerial mandate letters.”

Over the past 25 years, Canada’s population has increased by 30% while the
annual federal investment in affordable housing decreased by 46%, according
to the State of Homelessness in Canada report
<http://homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/SOHC2014.pdf>. As a result,
nearly 1 in 4 Canadian households cannot afford their housing and 235,000
experience homelessness every year.

Currently, federal investments in social housing through operating
agreements are set to gradually decline from $1.6 billion in 2015 to $0 in
2040, putting Canadian households at risk of economic eviction and possibly
homelessness, according to a CHRA Report
<http://housing4all.ca/sites/default/files/chra_housing_for_all_report_-_final.pdf>.
In fact, the expiry of operating agreements has already begun.

By working with Canada’s affordable housing sector to develop a national
housing strategy, the coalition believes that the government can meet both
short term economic stimulus and long term social objectives such as ending
homelessness, addressing the housing needs of Aboriginal people, combatting
climate change, and reducing poverty.

“It’s urgent that we re-invest in affordable housing by creating those
missing 100,000 affordable housing units nationwide over the course of the
next five years,” said Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness CEO Tim
Richter. “We should not forget that homelessness is a relatively new
phenomenon in Canada—and we must seize this opportunity to significantly
decrease its occurrence with the right federal investments.”

The coalition is pleased by the high level of engagement between its sector
and Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos
and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi, both sharing
the mandate of developing a national housing strategy.

“Canada’s affordable housing sector, including housing co-operatives, are
ready to help the federal government develop a national housing strategy,
which would protect and grow the affordable housing stock,” said
Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada Executive Director Nicholas
Gazzard. “We look forward to a federal budget that will allow for these
critical housing investments to take place.”

The joint statement is endorsed by the following housing sector leaders:

• Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA)
• Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada)
• Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH)
• British Columbia Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA),
• Réseau québecois des OSBL d’habitation (RQOH)
• Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA)
• New Brunswick Non-Profit Housing Association (NBNPHA)


-- 
*Mike Bulthuis*
Executive Director

*Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa*
171 George Street, Ottawa ON K1N 5W5
Office: 613-241-1573 x 314
Mobile: 613-222-9831
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