Ontario Provincial Elections highlight the urgent need for more affordable housing

Edited by Mario Dumas

While affordable housing activists are on alert for a federal election call possibly within the next year, many are also busy mounting campaigns during provincial elections across the country. Their efforts seem to be having an impact.

After campaigning on a pledge to build more affordable housing, the PEI Liberal Party ousted the reigning Conservative government in the provincial election last May. Recently, Manitoba Premier Gary Doer won another majority government for the NDP making the same promises to build more housing while activists in Quebec worked hard to keep the issue front and centre during their provincial election earlier this year.

And groups and organizations are also gearing up for provincial elections in Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador.

But first, it’s Ontario turn which has its first fixed-date election on October 10, including a referendum vote on whether to change from the current first-past-the-post to a mixed-member proportional system. In the lead-up to the election, however, anti-poverty and housing activists are making sure the issue of affordable housing gets its fair share of time on the campaign agenda.

A new group has recently formed in Toronto, Network for Poverty Reduction, which will be issuing a challenge to provincial political candidates and parties to come up with a plan to reduce poverty rates by 25 per cent in five years. Contact information is 416-597-5820, ext. 5152, with more information is expected in the coming weeks.

The Toronto Disaster Relief Committee (TDRC) is planning a day of action for Wednesday, September 26 leading up to Ontario's election day . Activists are calling on all political parties to commit to build new affordable housing, increase the minimum wage and social assistance rates and provide access without fear to government services for non-status people. TDRC is looking for more group endorsements and people to get involved in planning this major event. They hope people will organize an action in their local community and join a march to Queen’s Park.

Campaign 2000 has issued a report which calls on all Ontario political parties to commit to a “Poverty Reduction Strategy for Ontario” as they finalize their party platforms for the October election. They have also issued a campaign flyer for distribution. They will be releasing a national poverty report in the coming weeks.

A coalition of groups has released a discussion document for the provincial election campaign describing key issues in mental health and addictions in Ontario. “Ontario Election 2007: Focus on Addiction and Mental Health” was produced by CMHA, Ontario, the Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Addictions Ontario. The partnership is calling for a strong provincial mental health and addictions system, including improvements to housing and supports.

Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association is also working to keep affordable housing on the public agenda throughout the campaign.

Some of the provincial party announcements to date include—

Ontario Liberal Party

After getting out of the affordable housing business in the mid-90s, in 2003 the Ontario Liberals got back to building new housing for low-income people, rent controls and more recently rent supplements. Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty promises real protection for tenants and more investment in affordable housing. “We believe the provincial government has a responsibility to help provide affordable housing,” he said. “We will match federal support to create almost 20,000 new housing units for needy Ontario families. We will give priority to the development of affordable housing on Ontario government-owned lands.”

The Liberals also established the Ontario Mortgage and Housing Initiative to provide competitive financing rates for non-profit, co-operative and commercial developers who want to build rental housing in Ontario.

Ontario NDP

Although no specific affordable housing plan has been announced, the Ontario NDP promise to help the most vulnerable. “Let’s build that affordable housing,” NDP Leader Howard Hampton said. “And let’s stop the clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement – which robs $1,500 a year from our poorest children.” The NDP plan includes uploading all downloaded programs which are a provincial responsibility including social housing. This would mean an extra $645 million for Ontario municipalities in 2008 and $1.4 billion over a four-year plan.

Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario

Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory has called for the municipal-provincial review committee, which is currently examining who pays for what, to finish its report by the end of the year rather than Spring of 2008. PC policy is “guided by two principles – that local property taxes should be used principally for local needs; and a fix of provincial municipal finances must be a long-term one with stable, reliable funding.”

While the former Conservative government believed building affordable housing was not a provincial responsibility, Tory promises to continue the current programs, including more revitalization projects to transform aging social housing; more flexibility in the use of funding dollars; growth in the supply of co-operative housing; and a more “realistic” minimum wage.

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