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Ontario Region media release
 Previous release Media release index Next release March 26, 2009 Planned federal-provincial spending now tops $1.2 B over two years
“The McGuinty government deserves a lot of credit for taking decisive action to stimulate the economy in ways that will help those most in need,” says Dale Reagan, Managing Director of CHF Canada’s Ontario Region. “The Liberal election platform in 2007 promised action on poverty reduction and affordable housing. Today’s budget clearly moved affordable housing to the front in the government’s plans to tackle these issues and boost the economy.” The 2008 edition of Where’s Home? released recently by CHF Canada and the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association reports that waiting lists for social housing in the province have grown to more than 124,000 households and that one in five tenant households are still spending more than half their income on housing. The comprehensive study of housing need in Ontario called on the Province to act quickly to increase the supply of social housing to help families and individuals cope with deepening affordability problems. The study makes the case that building new affordable housing is an effective fiscal stimulator that creates jobs and has a very strong multiplier effect that ripples throughout the economy. The Co‑operative Housing Federation of Canada welcomed the Province’s renewed promise to deliver on its anti-poverty agenda. The budget includes a number of early steps to tackle poverty, the most significant of which is the acceleration of the Ontario Child Benefit announced by the Premier last week. Amanda Yetman, President of the Ontario Council of CHF Canada called on the Province to move forward without delay on its promise to put in place a long-term affordable housing strategy. “Affordable housing has to be a cornerstone of any anti-poverty plan for it to be effective,” says Yetman. “A key message that we’ll be delivering to the government in the months ahead is that, to reduce poverty, the government needs a long-term affordable housing plan built around a commitment to stable, multi-year program funding.” “We think that co‑op housing has an important role to play in meeting affordable housing need in Ontario and we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work with the government as it develops its long-term plan,” says Yetman. CHF Canada’s Ontario Region represents and serves over 500 housing co‑ops in the province. Ninety percent of Ontario’s housing co‑ops have chosen to be members of CHF Canada. More than 125,000 Ontarians live in housing co‑ops. For more information contact:
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