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Ontario Region media release
 Previous release Media release index Next release Government leaves affordable housing on the sidelines Toronto, Ontario November 22, 2011- The Co‑operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) is disappointed that today’s Throne Speech, setting out the McGuinty government’s agenda for the coming legislative session, made no mention at all of affordable housing. Barb Millsap, President of the Ontario Region of CHF Canada, commented that Ontario seems to lack the political will to make the critical shortage of affordable housing a priority and map out a long-term plan to deal with it. This means that there is little relief in sight for the over 152,000 households in Ontario who sit on waiting lists for assisted housing according to the latest survey conducted by the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association. Social housing waiting lists are long and they are growing. Over the last two years, the number of households waiting for assisted housing has swelled by almost 23,000 families, an increase of 18%. “We expected and we support the Throne Speech’s focus on the economy and jobs,” said Millsap. “But we had hoped to hear that affordable housing was moving up the government’s list of priorities now that a funding deal with Ottawa is finally in place.” Earlier this month, Ottawa and Ontario signed an agreement to contribute $481 million in combined funding for affordable housing over three years. Millsap noted that development of affordable housing is a good fit with the government’s economic agenda as it has a large multiplier effect, creates well-paying jobs, uses locally produced materials, and creates a very valuable public asset for the long term. The contribution that investment in affordable housing construction can make to job creation and economic recovery is well documented. In its 2011 pre-budget submission to the Ontario government, the Ontario Homebuilders Association observed that residential development has proven to be one of the most effective methods of stimulating economic growth. Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy released last year included no new funding for affordable housing or plan to address the housing shortage as the Province waited for the federal government to step up first. Millsap says that housing co‑ops are very disappointed that the Ontario government did not take the opportunity of the Throne Speech to belatedly signal a long-term commitment to meeting the need for affordable housing in Ontario. - 30 - CHF Canada’s Ontario Region represents and serves over 500 housing co‑ops in the province, home to some 125,000 Ontarians. Co‑operative housing has a solid track record of over four decades of building and providing safe, secure, affordable housing in member-owned communities. For more information: Dale Reagan, Managing Director, Ontario Region |
