CHF Canada media release

Conservative housing announcement big step forward for those in core need

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September 18, 2008 – The announcement of $1.9 billion in funding to support housing and homelessness programs is a big step in helping those living in core housing need, the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada said today. The commitment, made by the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and John Baird, the Conservative candidate in Ottawa West-Nepean, will provide $387.9 million a year over five years to extend the programs. 

“We, and other housing organizations, have been worried about what would happen to these programs, which were due to expire in March,” said Nicholas Gazzard, executive director. “A promise that the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI), the Residential Rehabiliation Assistance Program (RRAP) and the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) can continue is welcome news.”

“We have been anxiously awaiting news about what will happen with these programs, said Gazzard. “We hope that co-operative housing will play a role in helping Canadians who need affordable housing.”

CHF Canada looks forward to similar announcements from other parties in this election.  And we hope that they will all announce a commitment to a long-term strategy to address core housing need. The 4 million Canadians living in core need want to hear about long-term plans for dealing with the affordable housing crisis.

CHF Canada has been calling for:

• Continued federal spending for housing co-ops, to provide more homes for low-income Canadians
• More rent-geared-to-income subsidies so housing co-ops can help more low-income Canadians who need housing
• Federal loans so that housing co-ops can invest in energy savings and the reduction of greenhouse gases.

CHF Canada is the national voice of co-operative housing in Canada, with more than 900 housing co-operatives and other members, representing 56,000 co-operative homes.

For more information, contact:

Nicholas Gazzard, Executive Director (613) 293-8913 (cell) ngazzard @ chfcanada.coop

Merrilee Robson, Program Manager, Communications, (778) 227-3864 (cell) mrobson @ chfcanada.coop

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