Day three (Friday) of Canada’s national housing and homelessness conference – and the 600-plus delegates unanimously backed a resolution that calls on the federal government to remove the restrictions that it has imposed on the $2 billion in affordable housing investments in the recent federal budget; and also calling on the federal government to increase its housing and homelessness funding (mostly flatlined for the past decade – despite a growing nation-wide need.
Delegates heard from Senator Art Eggleton, who is heading a Senate of Canada committee that is working to develop a national action plan on housing, poverty and health. Senator Eggleton’s committee released an issues and options paper last year that sets out more than 100 specific and detailed components. But the options paper needs to be shaped into a set of national priorities, with a blueprintfor federal action.
Delegates also agreed to a framework for developing a new national voice on housing and homelessness issues (more on this to follow in the coming days).