McGuinty government fails to meet own deadline on housing strategy, low-income Ontarians told to sweat it out until the fall
For immediate release
TORONTO, June 16, 2010: In February Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Jim Bradley promised to release the eagerly anticipated long-term affordable housing strategy by June 21 of 2010, but the plan’s release has been delayed until the fall of 2010 according to Ministry sources.
“Poor housing is directly linked to poor health, and the delay in delivering, and implementing a provincial affordable housing strategy will be costly to individuals, communities and the economy,” says Michael Shapcott, Director of Affordable Housing and Social Innovation at the Wellesley Institute and co-chair of the HNO. “The Ontario government’s failure to meet its own timeline underlines a concern raised by the provincial auditor-general that the housing ministry lacks the capacity to do its work. In its 2009/10 budget, the provincial government said it would match federal housing investments as a placeholder until its own housing strategy was in place. Ontario has missed the 2010/11 budget and risks losing the 2011/12 cycle as well – pushing back solutions for yet another year.”
In April 2010 the Housing Network of Ontario released Building the Foundation for Ontario’s Future: 5 Tests for Success of Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy, summarizing the input of thousands of lowincome Ontarians and advocates who took part in government and community-led consultations in 2009. It called for annual funding to build 10,000 affordable homes each year and to repair existing units; a Housing Benefit and support services to make housing truly affordable and accessible; changes to legislation to better protect tenants and help housing providers; proper accountability; and clear ways to measure progress and to ensure that marginalized communities benefit equitably from the plan.
“With this delay I'm left to wonder just how important a priority is being placed upon the ideal of helping to have everyone at their best. For people like me living with the long term effects of poverty, we aren't asking for a hand out but simply to be afforded with real opportunities to develop our talents and abilities. We need a step up towards our goals of self esteem and personal and community understanding of our pasts and our living conditions,” says Linda Coltman, from Voices from the Street. “My personal desire and expectation is to see great leadership from the Province united with all orders of government, working with all sectors and especially with those of us living in poverty, to create opportunities, remove barriers and provide much needed supports so that all Ontarians can live with dignity.”
There are 141,635 Ontario households on the waiting list for affordable housing with a wait list stretching from 1-21 years. Census data indicates that 1 in every 5 tenant household in Ontario pays over 50% of their income on rent and 626,255 households in Ontario are unable to find acceptable housing that costs 30% or less of their income.
“McGuinty made a promise to introduce a housing strategy to help reduce poverty, but this pause means another summer of hardship for hundreds of thousands of Ontarians facing inadequate and unaffordable housing,” says Yutaka Dirks, co-Chair of the Housing Network of Ontario. “The government must demonstrate a renewed and strengthened commitment to poverty reduction by releasing a strategy that meets the Housing Network’s 5 Tests for Success.
“Housing experts, and those who have a direct experience of housing-related poverty, will be working hard with the provincial government to make sure that it delivers its long-promised and much-needed comprehensive and effective plan by the fall,” says Shapcott.
The Housing Network of Ontario is a provincial network of anti-poverty and affordable housing advocates with over 450 organizations and individuals who have endorsed the Housing Network of Ontario Declaration. .
Media contact: Kenn Hale, Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, (416) 597-5855 x.5163
Michael Shapcott, Wellesley Institute, (416) 605-8316
Regional and French spokespersons from across Ontario available for comment by contacting Kenn Hale.
For more information about the HNO and the 5 Tests: www.stableandaffordable.com.
McGuinty government fails to meet own deadline on housing strategy, low-income Ontarians told to sweat it out until the fall
For immediate release
TORONTO, June 16, 2010: In February Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Jim Bradley promised to release the eagerly anticipated long-term affordable housing strategy by June 21 of 2010, but the plan’s release has been delayed until the fall of 2010 according to Ministry sources.
“Poor housing is directly linked to poor health, and the delay in delivering, and implementing a provincial affordable housing strategy will be costly to individuals, communities and the economy,” says Michael Shapcott, Director of Affordable Housing and Social Innovation at the Wellesley Institute and co-chair of the HNO. “The Ontario government’s failure to meet its own timeline underlines a concern raised by the provincial auditor-general that the housing ministry lacks the capacity to do its work. In its 2009/10 budget, the provincial government said it would match federal housing investments as a placeholder until its own housing strategy was in place. Ontario has missed the 2010/11 budget and risks losing the 2011/12 cycle as well – pushing back solutions for yet another year.”
In April 2010 the Housing Network of Ontario released Building the Foundation for Ontario’s Future: 5 Tests for Success of Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy, summarizing the input of thousands of lowincome Ontarians and advocates who took part in government and community-led consultations in 2009. It called for annual funding to build 10,000 affordable homes each year and to repair existing units; a Housing Benefit and support services to make housing truly affordable and accessible; changes to legislation to better protect tenants and help housing providers; proper accountability; and clear ways to measure progress and to ensure that marginalized communities benefit equitably from the plan.
“With this delay I'm left to wonder just how important a priority is being placed upon the ideal of helping to have everyone at their best. For people like me living with the long term effects of poverty, we aren't asking for a hand out but simply to be afforded with real opportunities to develop our talents and abilities. We need a step up towards our goals of self esteem and personal and community understanding of our pasts and our living conditions,” says Linda Coltman, from Voices from the Street. “My personal desire and expectation is to see great leadership from the Province united with all orders of government, working with all sectors and especially with those of us living in poverty, to create opportunities, remove barriers and provide much needed supports so that all Ontarians can live with dignity.”
There are 141,635 Ontario households on the waiting list for affordable housing with a wait list stretching from 1-21 years. Census data indicates that 1 in every 5 tenant household in Ontario pays over 50% of their income on rent and 626,255 households in Ontario are unable to find acceptable housing that costs 30% or less of their income.
“McGuinty made a promise to introduce a housing strategy to help reduce poverty, but this pause means another summer of hardship for hundreds of thousands of Ontarians facing inadequate and unaffordable housing,” says Yutaka Dirks, co-Chair of the Housing Network of Ontario. “The government must demonstrate a renewed and strengthened commitment to poverty reduction by releasing a strategy that meets the Housing Network’s 5 Tests for Success.
“Housing experts, and those who have a direct experience of housing-related poverty, will be working hard with the provincial government to make sure that it delivers its long-promised and much-needed comprehensive and effective plan by the fall,” says Shapcott.
The Housing Network of Ontario is a provincial network of anti-poverty and affordable housing advocates with over 450 organizations and individuals who have endorsed the Housing Network of Ontario Declaration. .
Media contact: Kenn Hale, Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, (416) 597-5855 x.5163
Michael Shapcott, Wellesley Institute, (416) 605-8316
Regional and French spokespersons from across Ontario available for comment by contacting Kenn Hale.
For more information about the HNO and the 5 Tests: www.stableandaffordable.com.