Housing co-ops echo municipalities' call for credible long-term housing solutions

OTTAWA, Oct. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - The Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) endorsed today's launch by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities of a campaign to "Fix Canada's Housing Crunch."

Canada's housing co-ops are keenly aware of the pressing issue of housing affordability, which threatens to become a crisis if federal housing dollars scheduled to expire this decade put 200,000 units of co-op, non-profit and public affordable housing at risk.

"We are very encouraged by the launch of this campaign," said CHF Canada's Director of Corporate Affairs Nick Sidor.  "We are calling on all levels of government to protect housing affordability through cost-shared rent supplement programs delivered by the provinces and territories, and by municipalities in Ontario."

The proposal for cost-shared rent supplements is outlined in CHF Canada's recommendations for Budget 2014.  This would build on the renewals in Budget 2013 of the Affordable Housing Initiative and the Homelessness Partnering Strategy with a new focus on 'Housing First.'

Last week's creation of a Conservative Party housing caucus provides a new platform for dialogue with government MPs on this issue. 

For information on CHF Canada's campaign to protect affordability for low-income Canadians that live in affordable co-op, non-profit and public housing projects go to: www.chfcanada.coop/eoa.

CHF Canada is the national voice of the Canadian co-operative housing movement. Its members include over 900 non-profit housing co-operatives and other organizations across Canada.  More than a quarter of a million Canadians live in housing co-ops, in every province and territory.

SOURCE: Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada

Nick Sidor, Director, Corporate Affairs, 613-297-5139, [email protected]

David Granovsky, Government Relations Co-ordinator, 1-800-465-2752 ext. 222, 613-290-7687, [email protected]