Housing crisis sparks political reactions

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This article was published 08/09/2023 (1104 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As the Right to Housing Coalition unveiled its ambitious “A Social Housing Action Plan for Manitoba” to combat the housing crisis plaguing the province, political parties have responded with their own perspectives and plans to address this pressing issue.

“We are committed to addressing the housing crisis. Heather Stefanson was responsible for housing when budgets were cut and units were sold off,” NDP spokesperson Rebecca Widdicombe alleged. “The NDP’s plan comprises several key elements, including increasing the supply of social and affordable housing units, reinvesting in maintenance for existing units, and implementing strong regulations to prevent property sales, drawing attention to cases similar to Lions Place.”

Widdicombe told the Sun that tenant rights also hold a significant place in the NDP’s agenda, with proposals aimed at preventing unfair rent increases and reno-victions, as well as introducing a $700 renter’s credit.

“Furthermore, the NDP intends to provide comprehensive support to those residing in social housing and hire 100 additional mental health workers to assist Manitobans in need,” she said.

In the case of the Manitoba Liberal Party, spokesperson Colin Roy expressed the party’s commitment to the Right to Housing Coalition’s five pillars, adding that the Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont already announced a groundbreaking plan called “Same-Day Housing.”

“This initiative aims to ensure immediate shelter for unhoused individuals when they apply for it, emphasizing the need to treat homelessness as an emergency. We have pledged to introduce new protections for tenants and seniors, focusing on fixing the residential tenancies branch to shield Manitobans from rent hikes and evictions,” he said.

Lamont further stressed the urgency of ending homelessness, framing it as an act of reconciliation, particularly concerning individuals who were formerly in Child and Family Services and were left abandoned on the streets of Winnipeg.

Rochelle Squires, PC candidate for the Riel constituency, also presented the party’s strategy to address the housing crisis.

“Our strategy includes $126 million to ensure 700 net new units of social and affordable housing will be created this fiscal year, and we will set a new target for next year,” she said. “Budget 2023 reflects this commitment by increasing funding for the repair and maintenance of Manitoba’s social housing stock to expedite unit turnover and facilitate families’ access to these units.”

“It’s clear that this 30-year-old experiment has failed. The housing crisis won’t be solved without re-investing in social housing,” Right to Housing Coalition spokesperson Shauna MacKinnon stated.

The housing crisis in Manitoba, exacerbated by the federal government’s devolution of responsibility and funding cuts for social housing in the early 1990s, has left the provincial government largely reliant on the private market to produce low-rent housing.

She said that the scarcity of affordable housing is a pressing issue throughout Manitoba, with Brandon facing a severe shortage of low-rent housing options.

“The closure of hotels and the reduction of units in the private sector frequently force individuals onto the streets, leaving them with no alternative,” Manitoba Harm Reduction Network in Brandon network co-ordinator Solange Machado stated. “Rural people deserve safe, affordable housing in their own communities; in their homes.”

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