Today is UN World Habitat Day and this year’s theme is Mind the Gap. Leave No One and No Place Behind. This idea is extremely relevant to Canadians as we are forced to confront the ongoing spread of COVID-19, the arrival of new refugees fleeing conflict zones and the climate crisis which is worsening extreme weather events like Hurricane Fiona and the fatal heat waves in BC.
These unprecedented crises have chipped away at many communities’ livelihoods and ways of life, especially vulnerable and marginalized communities, and are further proof of the necessity for drastic reforms on housing policy. As a nation, it is imperative that we uphold every person’s fundamental human right to housing and provide everyone with safe, clean and truly affordable housing.
With dual crises of housing affordability and homelessness defining the challenges of many Canadians in every province, it is clear that our housing and homelessness strategies have not been working. Existing policies linking the definition of ‘affordability’ to what the commodified housing market can bear ensures that housing remains unaffordable for most Canadians. These policies supported by the Liberals, Conservatives and the NDP for decades are unjust and have been proven ineffective for decades.
Poverty and systemic inequalities are at the core of these crises, and must also be at the core of our solutions. The gap between those who can afford, and those who cannot is only getting wider as the cost-of-living increases.
In the spirit of UN World Habitat Day, we call on the federal government to stop asking those who face the most negative impacts these crises to pay for the failure of the status quo, and finally set us on a path toward not just reducing poverty but truly eliminating systemic poverty.
The Green Party of Canada Affordability for All plan proposes:
- Establish a Guaranteed Livable Income to ensure all Canadians can live with dignity and independence
- Implement a National Housing Strategy to provide access to affordable and energy-efficient homes to all Canadians
- Establish a culturally sensitive Housing First approach to provide urgent housing to combat chronic homelessness
- Increase access to social housing for Indigenous peoples living in and off reserves
- Invest in the co-operative housing sector to spark new, affordable housing market and support existing co-ops.
- In collaboration with municipal authorities and officials, redefine affordable rent according to renter’s income
- Implement a national moratorium on evictions till COVID-19 is fully under control
- Create a residential arrears assistance program for protection to those under risk of being evicted or turned homeless
The Green Party of Canada believes these policies would help Canada Mind the Gap. Leave No One and No Place Behind.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact :
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact :
Fabrice Lachance Nové
Press Secretary
514-463-0021