A number of people weighing in on Canada鈥檚 National Housing Strategy are giving the federal government a pat on the back for acknowledging the North鈥檚 unique housing needs.
Nov. 23, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released the long-awaited document Wednesday in Toronto with the help of federal minister Jean-Yves Duclos in Vancouver.
The 10-year, $40-billion strategy aims to increase Canadians鈥� access to affordable housing by cutting homelessness in half over the next decade and creating thousands of new housing units, among other ambitious goals.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see the federal government stepping up to the plate and providing long-term funding and taking a huge interest in trying to rectify the housing needs across the country 鈥� particularly here in the North,鈥� said Tom Williams, president and CEO of the NWT Housing Corporation. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very optimistic that this new National Housing Strategy will meet the needs of 黑料吃瓜网ers.鈥�
While the 40-page document is more a blueprint than a detailed outline of how money will trickle down to individual communities, it specifically recognizes higher housing needs and costs exist in the North.
There鈥檚 also acknowledgment of how Indigenous residents and women are affected by housing issues.
The feds thus committed to spending 25 per cent of investments from the strategy on women, girls and their families.
鈥淲omen make seem to make up a disproportionate share of people who are low-income or are trying to house themselves and their children,鈥� said Lyda Fuller, executive director of the YWCA NWT.
She said she was 鈥渟uper excited鈥� to see the strategy included commitments the YWCA has been asking for for years, as well as a promise to build and renew shelter spaces for women fleeing violence.
Two of the four women鈥檚 shelters outside Yellowknife are looking for new buildings, Fuller said.
The document also states the feds will allocate $300 million for 黑料吃瓜网 housing over the next 10 years 鈥� a figure announced earlier this year when the federal government released its 2017 budget.
The NWT received $36 million from that pot.
NWT Housing Minister Caroline Cochrane later expressed confusion over the relatively low figure, compared to the $240 million handed to Nunavut, which has similar needs.
After a meeting with her federal counterpart in June, she told Yellowknifer the government had promised more funding would be coming down the pipe and that the NWT would be considered for it.
Williams explained there are 鈥渙ther pots of funding鈥� the NWT could tap into through the National Housing Strategy.
鈥淏ut the devil鈥檚 in the details,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still waiting for how the allocation鈥檚 going to work.鈥�
NWT MP Michael McLeod agreed.
鈥淪ome of the initiatives have already been announced,鈥� said McLeod, referring to the $300 million. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a number of other ones that are still being discussed 鈥� and of course we鈥檙e all patiently waiting to see what they鈥檒l result in, in terms of dollar amounts when the budget is announced in March.鈥�
But he was pleased the strategy included women and families, and acknowledged the unique needs in the North.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a good start. We still have a lot of work to do,鈥� said McLeod, citing a need for more detail around community housing, Indigenous peoples and seniors.
The only thing missing now is a 10-year housing strategy from the GNWT, according to one expert.
Nick Falvo, director of research and data at the Calgary Homeless Foundation, who also worked on Yellowknife鈥檚 10-year homelessness strategy, said the national document released this week has potential to 鈥渃ompliment鈥� the city鈥檚 commitments.
鈥淚f the territorial government doesn鈥檛 match, it could be that the dollars don鈥檛 get spent,鈥� said Falvo. 鈥淣ow that depends. Those details haven鈥檛 been discussed.鈥�
But Williams says the GNWT is making strides to develop its own strategy and is working with the city on housing issues.
鈥淥ne of the commitments under the mandate is to review all our homelessness programs and our strategies,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淪o there will be a strategy coming.鈥�
