Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to provide the Legislative Assembly with an update on provincial and territorial activities currently being undertaken in the area of housing.
As Members may be aware, federal/provincial/ territorial discussions on housing nationally are focused in three areas. Firstly, provinces and territories have been aggressively emphasizing the need for Canada to reinstate the O&M funding that is declining under social housing agreements signed by most provinces and territories.
Secondly, Canada has also been asked to reinvest so-called legacy savings, surplus funds available to CMHC as the mortgages for public housing dwellings are paid, into new affordable housing. The Northwest Territories receives approximately $30 million annually from Canada to operate and maintain the public housing stock. This funding is currently declining annually and will lapse completely in 2038. The cumulative impact of this decline between 2008 and 2038 is a loss of $348 million.
Thirdly, the financial uncertainly created by declining funding is compounded by the short-term nature of federal housing programs. All federal housing initiatives, including the housing trusts along with federal funding for renovation and repair as well as homelessness funding provided directly by the federal government to community groups, will lapse as of March 31, 2009. As of today the federal government has made no commitments to extend funding for affordable housing programs past this date.
These three areas of focus of the provinces and territories clearly demonstrate the need for a long-term housing strategy. Canada is the only major nation in the world without a comprehensive strategy. According to the Wellesley Institute, Canada currently spends only $56 per capita on housing. This is compared with $156 per capita in the United States and $226 per capita in the United Kingdom.
In February 2008 provincial and territorial housing ministers collectively reaffirmed their support for the principles adopted in White Point, Nova Scotia, in 2005 that would form the basis of a national housing strategy.
We need the federal government to come to the table and discuss issues such as the lack of long-term predictable funding for new construction, declining funding for the operation and maintenance of social housing, the definition of the roles and responsibilities of provinces, territories and the Government of Canada in the delivery of housing, and the need for a national housing strategy.
The Government of Canada has been resistant to meeting with provinces and territories to discuss any of these issues. Despite this hesitancy, provincial and territorial ministers have opted to schedule a meeting in October 2008 and will proceed with or without the participation of the federal government.
As part of a national effort to elevate public awareness of these issues and to attempt to convince the Government of Canada of the need to meet formally with provinces and territories to discuss the housing issues facing Canadians, I will be introducing a motion later today. This motion will call for the federal government to immediately extend programs scheduled to sunset on March 31, 2009, and commit to discussing a long-term strategy as well as roles and responsibilities with provinces and territories.
As I have mentioned before in this Assembly, it is critical for all levels of government to place a greater focus on the role housing can play as a contributing factor to improve many social problems. I am hopeful that a strong message sent by this Assembly will help convince the Government of Canada of the need to make affordable housing one of its priorities.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
