Public Forum to Tackle Affordable Housing Needs
Apr 21st, 2009 by admin
Source: Niagara This Week
A leading expert on affordable housing will address a public meeting at regional headquarters in Thorold April 23 on the state of affordable housing in Canada.
Michael Shapcott, director of community engagement with the Toronto-based Wellesley Institute, will speak on whether a federal government announcement in February that $4 billion will be invested in new affordable housing will make up for years of cuts and meet the housing needs of Canadians.
Sponsored by the Niagara Social Assistance Reform Network and the Region’s social assistance advisory committee, the forum will explore how much of the money Niagara can expect to get, and what else needs to be done to address a shortage of affordable housing. The forum runs from 9 a.m. to noon.
In a news release issued by organizers, Shapcott said Canada has fallen behind other countries when it comes to housing policy and funding, and that the country is alone among the world’s major countries in having no national housing plan.
The organizers said housing is one of the most important determinants of health, and that an effective housing plan is essential for a healthy economy.
The Wellesley Institute is a non-profit research and policy institute with a focus on developing research and community-based policy solutions to the problems of urban health and health disparities.
agreed
basic needs of a person is : food clothes and home.
if home is not affordable what else do you expect from that individual?
totally agreed, as a country and as an individual we are so rich, yet if we cannot provide our people with a basic neccesity of shelter?
how can we call ourselves the great nations..?
It’s really nice and worthy of respect when your government is caring for people and where they will be living!
I agree as weel. One of the problems I have seen is that there are not enough builders willing to take on affordable housing projects due to the lower profit margins. Unless the project makes up the profit in the form of volume, ie condos, duplexs, apartment buildings.
it’s really important to assure that people can have their house, affordin to buy the properties with security, without fear to lose them.
To offer a person the proper housing is the main determinant in relations between people and government bodies. That is the least that the government should do for people’s paying taxes.
Food. Clothing. Shelter = Happiness. At least it used too.
I think we are our brother’s keeper and the sooner we realize that the quicker we’ll evolve as a species.
One of the problems I have seen is that there are not enough builders willing to take on affordable housing projects