Expanding social housing supply needs to be government priority, Winnipeg conference hears
2-day conference draws experts, activists and people with lived experience from across Canada
Academics and activists from across Canada have converged in Winnipeg to find ways to press elected leaders for action on creating affordable housing outside the private market.
The Social Housing and Human Rights conference aims to come up with a call to action to federal and provincial governments, according to Shauna MacKinnon, a University of Winnipeg professor and principal investigator with the Manitoba Research Alliance, which organized the conference.
There's a "dire shortage" of rental housing available in the $750 per month range, she said.
"Many, many people who are on social assistance don't even get anywhere near $750 a month for rent," said MacKinnon. "We really need to expand the supply of housing that is outside of the market."
The conference coincides with a national congress held by the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, focused on housing and homelessness. The two conferences are hearing about the growing challenges people face in the search for an affordable home — a problem one researcher says is only getting worse.
"House prices have gone up massively, rents have gone up massively," said Steve Pomeroy, who is with the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative.
"The consequence of that is low-income folks whose income is either fixed or hasn't gone up are facing greater difficulty."
Winnipeg isn't the only city with challenges.
Pam Sanderson, executive director of Carmichael Outreach in Regina, said her son lives on the streets of Vancouver with addiction and an intellectual disability.
"He's got some pretty serious mental health challenges and there isn't any supports for him, as there's absolutely no housing in Vancouver, as I think everyone in the country is aware," Sanderson said.
People like her son need "full wraparound supports — 24/7 supports," she said.
The conference's keynote speaker was Leilani Farha, a former United Nations special rapporteur on the right to housing who is now the global director of The Shift, an international human rights organization focused on housing.
She visited people living in a Winnipeg homeless encampment and had a meeting with Mayor Scott Gillingham to talk about the need for affordable housing.
"You don't want people living in encampments for a long period of time. It's very cold in the winter here. It is the toughest living, and people in encampments want a home, rest assured," Farha said.
"Cities are going to have to live with homeless encampments until they can expedite long-term, secure, affordable housing for that population."
She sees opportunities to create affordable housing in Winnipeg's empty lots and vacant buildings.
Colin Fast, Gillingham's spokesperson, said in an email Farha and the mayor had a good conversation, and there may be ways to streamline city approvals for housing projects.
City administrators are "currently in the process of identifying several city-owned properties that could be pre-zoned and offered to partners to develop as new social housing units with on-site support services," Fast said.
The city is also administering funding under the federal government's Rapid Housing Initiative, which provides funding to cities and non-profits to build affordable homes for vulnerable Canadians, including those experiencing homelessness.
The city is currently reviewing applications for a third round of funding under that program, Fast said.
The conference continues Friday.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
