Housing and homelessness

For the first time in a generation, the federal government is poised to become a major partner in social housing development in Canada. This creates real opportunities for housing advocates and providers who, after decades as lone voices in the political wilderness, have ready-made solutions for ending homelessness. The challenge today is to mobilize “shovel ready” projects that will provide non-market homes in the near-term.

A growing chorus of voices from across BC is calling on all political parties to commit to a provincial poverty reduction plan with legislated targets and timelines. Some wonder, however, whether such a plan is affordable, particularly in a recession. The answer is yes.