This morning, Ontario Council President David Waters presented our 4 recommendations for Ontario’s 2018 Budget.
With housing affordability making headlines daily, it is clear that it is time for action. The 2016 Census data showed that this is a province-wide issue: Ontario has the highest number of households in core housing need of any province. We have record low vacancies, and renters are spending higher and higher amounts of their income on rent. We recommend:
- Sign on to the National Housing Strategy
- Invest in building 6,500 units of affordable rental housing per year
- Partner with the co-op sector to fix the affordable housing program (IAH)
- Create targets for new co-op housing development
Ontario Government Relations Manager Simone Swail answered questions from the Committee:
On the National Housing Strategy: “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t expect the government to sign on within the next few months, the need is there. But the NHS is just that: a national strategy, Ontario needs to go beyond the NHS to address its affordable housing deficit.”
On reinvesting in co-ops: “Co-op housing has already leveraged over $50 million dollars by partnering with credit unions. What we need government to do is to maintain subsidies to protect those in deep need. We need government to take care of the households; we’ll take care of the buildings.”
Read further in Housing is the Solution: Submission to the Standing committee on Finance and Economic Affairs