January 19, 2009

Letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance: reinstate a national housing program immediately

Dear Prime Minister and Minister of Finance:

I am writing to you in advance of the upcoming federal budget to urge you to reinstate a national housing program immediately.

The National Homelessness Secretariat estimates that there are 150,000 homeless people in Canada, but most experts believe the number is between 200,000 and 300,000. Additionally, 1.5 million Canadians are considered ‘housing core need' which places them at greater risk of homelessness.

This is a national embarrassment and a national tragedy.

The federal government needs to take leadership immediately and invest in social housing. The federal government's misguided decision to eliminate the national social housing program in 1993 has had a devastating impact on the Canadian social fabric. Canada remains one of the few wealthy nations of the world without a national poverty reduction strategy.

Miloon Kothari, UN Special Rapporteur on Housing, recommended a large scale social housing program across the country when he visited Canada in October 2007. Canada should also make its domestic laws comply with international obligations it has committed to such as the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which has clear guidelines on the right to adequate housing. Canada will not be strong on human rights abroad, if it can't be strong on human rights within its own borders.

Canada will be receiving the final country report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing in April of 2009 at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Vancouver's new Mayor, Gregor Robertson, has committed to ending homelessness by 2015 -- but he needs the commitment of senior levels of government.

Years ago, Dr. David Hulchanski from the University of Toronto called for an innovative 1 per cent solution:

1. Funding of $2 billion federally, and another $2 billion among provinces and territories.

2. Restoring and renewing national, provincial and territorial programs aimed at resolving the housing crisis and homelessness disaster.

3. Extension of the federal homelessness strategy with immediate funding for new and expanded shelter and services across the country.

In the current economic situation, cities across the country have come forward and have agreed to fast-track construction projects in the next fiscal year. This is a great opportunity to have people working on infrastructure projects which will create a legacy of safe, secure affordable housing across the country.

British Columbia needs leadership from the federal government immediately so it can deal with the root causes of poverty and homelessness in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Olympics and ensure that we have a social legacy that we can all be proud of across the country.

Sincerely,

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan, MLA

Vancouver – Mt. Pleasant