Housing Policy Update

92.20PU Policy Update: Housing

Whereas, The National Council of Women of Canada established a policy in 1944 with regard to housing for Canadians;

and,

Whereas, That policy was expanded in 1947, 1948, 1949, 1972, 1982 and 1988 as follows:

1. Develop a National Housing Policy; and,
2. Amend the National Housing Act to make available low interest loans to local authorities for low rental housing; and,
3. Amend the National Housing Act to permit loans for construction, purchase, and renovation of buildings used for child care; and,
4. Permit inclusion of space for day care/child care centres in housing developments, including university buildings; and,
5. Renew the government’s strong commitment to support and stimulate the housing market by the production of modest family housing, increasing the support for existing social housing programs, initiating and/or improving shelter allowance programs and basing them on total family income and actual shelter costs, with either national Revenue Income Tax legislation or federal/provincial agreements as the vehicle;
   and,
   Whereas, The 1992 Federal Budget terminated the Co-Op Housing Program, and restrained spending on social housing programs to an average growth of 3% per year; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That The National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:

1. Maintain a strong housing policy that will ensure an adequate supply of affordable housing across Canada, taking into consideration children whose parents are forced to spend more than half their income on housing, disabled persons who have special needs in housing, single, low-income persons who seek privacy and independence in shelter, and rental accommodation for those individuals who could never obtain home ownership; and,
2. Reinstate the Co-Op Housing Program; and,
3. Re-evaluate, on an annual basis, the fiscal restraints placed on Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation so that nonprofit housing growth would reflect the number of Canadians seeking this support; and,
4. Continue to support the needs of low-income families through the Canada Assistance Plan; and,
5. Designate a portion of the selling price from surplus government lands to provide infrastructure for affordable housing development; i.e. sewers, transportation services, water lines, waste disposal; and,
6. Urge provincial governments to approve smaller house lots (25 to 30 feet), and to speed up the approvals process for zoning changes.