The Harper government will deliver its second federal budget on Monday, March 19, 2007. Canada is one of the richest countries in the world, and the federal government continues to run multi-billion dollar surpluses (largely because of huge spending cuts – including housing spending – in the 1980s and 1990s). The Wellesley Institute’s 2007 federal pre-budget housing backgrounder looks at some key issues.
So, the two-billion-dollar question is: Will the federal government finally deliver the comprehensive and fully-funded affordable national housing program that millions of Canadians so desperately need?
The federal government currently spends about 17 cents per person per day on housing – about half of the bare minimumn that is required for investment in a new national housing program.
Investing in good qualify, affordable homes is good for:
* people (better housing leads to better health and longer lives);
* communities (better housing leads to stronger communities and increased economic competitiveness);
* governments (better housing reduces overall spending by governments and is better for taxpayers).
– Michael