New Democrats have launched a campaign called ‘A roof, A right’ demanding dedicated, long-term investment from the federal government for social housing.
The government has cut funding to social housing through its refusal to renew several long-term operating agreements established between social housing providers such as co-ops, non-profits and low-cost housing and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. These agreements allow social housing providers to pay off their mortgages and financially support their low-income tenants so that they spend only 25-30 percent of their income on rent.
As a result of the government’s refusal to commit to a renewal of the agreements, nearly $1.7 billion in federal funding for social housing will be lost by 2030. This amounts to 85 percent of the federal housing budget. In the last four years alone, nearly 26,000 social housing units in Canada have been impacted by the sun-setting of the long-term agreements. The end of the agreements will create three types of social housing stock: projects that still need subsidies to survive; projects that no longer need subsidies to survive; and projects that would be viable but need renovations to make them so. It is still unclear how the CMHC and its provincial/territorial partners will address these issues.
Affordable housing remains out of reach for many. Nearly 40 percent of Canadian households already spend 30 percent or more of their income on shelter. They are considered housing insecure. In Ottawa, according to a 2012 Alliance to End Homelessness report, 40 percent of households rented their homes. Only 4.3 percent of new housing builds (January-April 2012) were geared to renters. Ottawa’s rental vacancy rates have also tended to be low, putting upward pressure on rents. The more recent increase in vacancy rates can be attributed to an increase in the number of rental condominium units. However this housing stock is not affordable for people with fixed or low incomes.
As a result of the expiry of the operating agreements with social housing providers, rents in subsidized units could increase by $200-500. This would create significant financial hardship for tenants. Already, some families have been forced to leave subsidized housing units impacted by the expiry of the agreements in search of more affordable options in a housing market that is already unaffordable for many.
More recently, my colleague and NDP critic for housing issues, Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, introduced a motion calling on the federal government to maintain and preferably increase the funding currently allocated to the long-term housing agreements; reach an agreement with the provinces/territories and other partners on how best to renew the social housing funding envelope; and ensure that rent subsidies are preserved, providing funding necessary for renovations.
New Democrats have also introduced legislation several times calling on the federal government to establish a national housing strategy. This would facilitate better coordination across the country on housing issues. We have introduced legislation requesting the government acknowledge the right of individuals to proper housing at a reasonable cost, free of unreasonable barriers, and in accordance with the International Covenant on Economic and Cultural rights, which Canada has ratified.
Please join us in pressuring the federal government to invest in social housing by signing our online petition at http://petition.ndp.ca/support-social-housing-for-Canadians. You can also request a paper copy of the petition by calling my community office at 613-946-8682.
