HOUSING AGAIN • BulletinNumber 100 April 4, 2007 The Housing Again
Bulletin, sponsored by Raising the Roof A monthly electronic
bulletin highlighting what people are doing to Our web sites are: Housing Again Shared Learnings on
Homelessness Raising the Roof If you have any tips for the Bulletin please e-mail: ---------------------------------------------------
Feature: Advocates Fight for
National Affordable Housing Strategy
Community Profile: Kelowna Downtown Youth
Centre
News Briefs: New on Raising the
Roof’s Shared Learnings on Homelessness; CHRA Congress 2007;
Federal Budget Disappoints on Housing
Front ----------------------------------------------- Advocates Fight for National Affordable Housing
Strategy Although opinions may vary about the timing of the next federal election, housing advocates have already been hard at work. The National Coalition on Housing and Homelessness is currently preparing a letter which will be sent to all national political parties outlining what advocates would like to see in party platforms. Coalition Co-chair Michael Shapcott, Senior Fellow, The Wellesley Institute, which has developed a Blueprint to End Homelessness in Toronto, spoke with Housing Again about what he hopes federal candidates will commit to when an election is called. “We are still waiting for a national housing strategy,” Shapcott said. “Without a comprehensive strategy, we are left with the current patchwork of project funding—this isn’t sustainable or effective.” “We need a cohesive, practical, and fully-costed national plan to end homelessness,” he said. Wellesley has also launched a housing and homelessness “wiki” – an on-line site to share information and foster collaboration, which as has already drawn hundreds of visitors. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities
(FCM) has called for a national affordable housing strategy. In partnership
with MediaEdge Publishing, FCM distributes an educational magazine, Forum, six times a year in English and French. The
January/February edition featured housing and homelessness, including a report
on the “mixed review” advocates and housing providers are giving the federal
government’s new Homelessness Partnering Strategy. There are also features exploring the
work done by municipalities across Canada to end homelessness.
Advocates have also begun preparing for a
provincial election in Ontario. A recent report by Campaign 2000 found that Ontario’s child poverty rate has been inching up since 2001 and is now at 17.4 per cent. Based on the latest Statistics Canada data, the 2006 Report Card on Child Poverty in Ontario states that 478,480 children - or one in every six - are living in poverty. The average low-income family is living in deeper poverty now than they were twelve years ago. As candidates prepare for an October election, advocates have called on all political parties to commit to developing a Poverty Reduction Strategy for Ontario. Quebec and Newfoundland each have provincial poverty reduction strategies, and Nova Scotia recently established an all-party commission to develop a strategy. -------------------------------------------------
NEWS
BRIEFS:
New on Raising the Roof’s Shared Learnings on Homelessness Web site In 2003, Raising the Roof launched an interactive, bilingual Web site called Shared Learnings on Homelessness. With major funding from partners Direct Energy and RBC, Shared Learnings provides a directory listing of services and initiatives for homeless and at-risk individuals as well as resources to assist frontline staff, managers and volunteers working to address the problem of homelessness in their communities. Use this site to find out more about what is happening in cities, towns and rural areas across Canada. Link to others working within the homelessness sector, share your experiences and learn from theirs. Recent additions to the site include: The Tearmann House of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia provides secure shelter to women coming from physically, emotionally, or sexually abusive relationships. Heartwood Place of Kitchener, Ontario addresses the
Waterloo Region’s demand for affordable housing.
More Than A Roof is a report representing the discussions and findings of a community research project undertaken by the Halton Transitional Housing Study for Homeless Youth Steering Committee. CHRA Congress
2007 May 9 – 12 in Calgary is Canadian Housing and Renewal Association’s 39th Annual CHRA Congress: The Business of Affordable Housing. Registration has been brisk so sign up quickly. Federal Budget Disappoints on Housing
Front The Caledon Institute of Social Policy has released a report on the recent federal budget, Mixed Brew for the 'Coffee Shop' Budget. The report says the budget has several positive measures, most notably the Working Income Tax Benefit, the Registered Disability Savings Plan and the proposed changes to the Equalization program. However, the funds could have been far better spent on an increased Canada Child Tax Benefit, additional child care spaces or affordable housing, the report said. --------------------------------------------------- The Housing
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