CHF Canada media release
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NDP plan will make a real difference for those who need housing, co-ops say
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September 28, 2008 – The NDP announcement of a comprehensive plan to create new affordable housing is welcome news for the four million Canadians in core housing need, the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada said today.
“We are particularly pleased that the NDP’s housing plan includes specific targets to help the most vulnerable, including Aboriginal people, seniors and women said Nicholas Gazzard, executive director.
The NDP plan for a building retrofit and energy efficiency strategy also addresses one of the major issues housing co-ops have been dealing with. Funds for residential rehabilitation and energy retrofits will allow existing housing co-ops to maintain the public investment in co-op housing and reduce energy use.
“We look forward to getting more details and learning how these programs can help housing co-ops respond to Canada’s desperate need for more affordable homes.”
CHF Canada and Canada’s 250,000 housing co-op members are pleased that all five major parties have recognized that housing and homelessness is an issue that concerns Canadians in this election. All have included some provisions to address Canada’s housing crisis in their platforms, and most have specifically mentioned housing co-ops as part of the solution.
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.
ngazzard @ chfcanada.coop
Merrilee Robson, Program Manager, Communications, (778) 227-3864 (cell) mrobson @ chfcanada.coop
