It’s no secret that Canada has a housing problem. That problem being chiefly that our country does not have enough affordable housing to provide for those in need. As time has passed those in need have grown in number, while supplies have stagnated. But this isn’t a new problem, it’s been building for nearly 20 years. While Canada’s brightest, most informed researchers and academics have proposed solutions to the affordable housing problem, those in power have done just the opposite, slashing funding wherever they can.
But for all their slashing, we know perfectly well that we actually end up paying more than need be. This doesn’t seem to bother our supposed penny-pinching politicians, as they seem immune to the fact that millions of dollars are wasted every year on temporary shelter ($1,932/month) for the homeless, or in other costs from their incarceration ($4,333/month), their hospitalization ($10,900/month), all adding up to an estimated $7 billion dollars wasted each and every year.
We already know from an abundance of strong research that permanent social housing could both save taxpayers vast amounts of money and provide the homeless with an actual chance of recovering from their relationship with poverty and becoming healthy, productive, citizens brought back into their communities’ fold once more. But none of this seems to matter, as these facts have been known for years and yet things have continued to get worse, with the waitlists for social housing climbing to record highs each passing year.
It hasn’t mattered what political ideology has presided over control of Canada’s housing policy. Though Liberals and Conservatives are known to hold many opposing positions, when it comes to affordable housing they are united in their disregard for it. As Canada has gone from being led by Conservatives to Liberals, then back again to Conservative led governments, affordable housing policy has been united by all in that it should be reduced or eliminated wherever possible.
Our elected government has become so bold with their dismissal of affordable housing policy that they now treat it as if the deliberations surrounding it were a mere trifle: after receiving recommendations from the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review in 2008, Canada’s government proposed to accept most of the remedial actions put forward and announced enhanced funding to back affordable housing initiatives. It didn’t take long for this daydream to end, however, as hardly a year passed before the same Harper led government slashed 97% of the funds for the building of new affordable housing, and cut 94% of funds earmarked for repairs to the current stock of affordable housing.
Somehow we’ve allowed our government to carry out, or rather not carry out, such housing policies on our behalf, despite the fact that polls have shown that the majority of Canadians are in favour of a long-term housing plan that include increased funding for social and affordable housing, as well as focused efforts on combating homelessness. But even if the Harper led conservatives listen to our wishes and propose new affordable housing initiatives, we’ve already seen that there’s nothing we can do to hold them to their word.
So rather than waste my time or yours, dear reader, with my recommendations for Canada’s housing policy priorities, I would instead urge you to direct your strength towards efforts to get our government to follow through with what has already been decided is the way forward for Canada’s affordable housing problem. The time for discussion is over, what we need now is action.
No comments:
Post a Comment