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May 9th, 2012

Housing crisis far from over

Massive support for NDP bill at Canadian Housing and Renewal Association’s 44th housing congress

OTTAWA — After participating in the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association’s 44th housing congress, which took place from May 1 to 4 in St. John’s Newfoundland, the NDP says that, despite advances in housing and the fight against homelessness, the housing crisis is far from over.

“Over the course of various meetings, we had the opportunity to discuss the New Democrat bill to establish a national housing strategy,” said the NDP representative at the congress, Marie-Claude Morin (Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot). “I’m proud to see that countless organizations decided to support it. We really need to do something for social and affordable housing and to put an end to homelessness.”

Morin tabled a bill to establish a national housing strategy in order guarantee the right to housing, as provided for in many international treaties that were ratified by Canada.

“The strategy we want to implement provides financial support mechanisms as well as incentives favouring a greater availability of housing,” explained MarjolaineBoutin-Sweet, Official Opposition Housing Critic. “We also want to promote access for certain groups of people who are more likely to be refused housing, due to a disability or discrimination, for example. Unfortunately, there is nothing in the Conservative budget to help the less privileged.”

Canada is still the only G8 country without a national housing strategy. Some 150,000 to 300,000 Canadians live on the street and nearly 1.5 million households are not adequately housed.