Affordable Housing and Homelessness

Across this country, we have an affordable housing crisis.

People are living in tents. People are “couch-surfing”. Home ownership is all but a dream for many.

Imagine what our communities would look like if an additional half a million units of affordable housing were built across this country.

The reality is that families, individuals, single parents and seniors alike are unable to obtain safe, secure, and affordable housing. This is a very real struggle for so many in Vancouver East and across the country. This national problem is of crisis proportions and is steadily worsening. For example, 2018 statistics for the City of Vancouver showed the highest number of people living homeless since the first regional homeless count in 2005. Indigenous peoples face even larger barriers to securing safe affordable housing, and accounted for 40% of the homeless people living in the region, despite being only 2.2% of the overall population. These numbers are unacceptable, because each number represents people in our community who are in crisis.

Our current housing crisis started in 1993, when the Federal Liberals cancelled the National Affordable Housing Program.

As a result, this country lost out on half a million units of affordable housing that would otherwise have been built.

The impact is real and significant. I have met school children who tell me that they are worry about their housing situation. Women who were fleeing domestic violence are left with no choice but to return to the abuser because she cannot secure housing. Families had their children apprehended for no other reason other than the fact that they could not meet their housing needs. The homeless population are becoming more desperate. In one instance, I learned that a fight broke out because people were fighting for awning space in an attempt to stay dry as heavy rain poured down. It is high time for government to deliver what so many across the country have called for – a National Affordable Housing program.

Housing is a human right
Speech delivered on January 31, 2019 in favour of the NDP Motion to take immediate action on Canada’s Housing Crisis.

OPEN LETTER: Opposing Mayor Sim’s motion to Temporarily Pausing Net-New Supportive Housing Investments in Vancouver

I recall my time at City Council, while I was the lone opposition member in a 10 to 1 council and there werem any policy decisions where we had disagreement, when it came to approvals for both social and supportive housing in the City, we always acted in unison in support of those developments in our community. Indeed, “Vancouver has long taken a leadership role in providing supportive housing”, and it has done this regardless of whether or not other municipalities have fallen short in also providing social and supportive housing.

While I also agree that the City cannot be a lone actor in bringing about sufficient dignified social and supportive housing, health care supports, including the full spectrum of mental health, harm reduction, addictions supports and recovery care needed to serve residents living in the Downtown Eastside and beyond, instead of advancing collaboration and partnerships, this motion does the opposite.

Worse still, this short-sighted vision peddles the "Not In My Back Yard" sentiment as a solution to challenges in the community. It is sending the wrong message that the development of supportive housing is bad for neighbourhoods.

At a time where there is so much discord, fear and uncertainty in our community, elected officials across all municipalities and levels of government need to come together, not to sow division but to unite in collaborating and delivering real solutions that are evidence-based.

HANSARD: Statement to Support Tiny Home Village for Crab Park

Householder Summer 2024

Toronto Star NEWS: Justin Trudeau claims Pierre Poilievre built just six affordable homes when he was housing minister. Here’s what actually happened

HANSARD: Order Questions on Rent-Geared-Income (RGI) subsidies and operating subsidies funded by CMHC

HANSARD: Private Member's Bill to amend the National Housing Strategy Act

HANSARD: Debating Conservative's carbon pricing motion

HANSARD: Non-profits are forced to jack up the rent to market rates because CMHC is going to end the rent-geared-to-income subsidies

HANSARD: Will the member call on the government to renew the rent-geared-to-income subsidies from CMHC for all non-profits?

City TV: Concerns raised about rising cost of rentals for low-income earners: Vancouver MP

A Vancouver NDP MP is sounding the alarm when it comes to rent-geared-to-income housing units, saying incoming changes by the federal government will lead to a severe shortage within the affordable housing market in this country.

Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan says she’s learned that as of March 31, 2028, Ottawa will be cutting subsidy funding to non-profits that operate buildings that include units for those on a fixed income. Once those suites are vacated, she says the price of those units will be bumped to market rates.

For example, a rental suite that’s going for $650 right now could be increased to $1,800 or more.

Kwan adds these changes are happening right now at some buildings in Metro Vancouver as non-profits try to bank money to prepare for their funding to be slashed in the future.

Affordable Housing