Canada has not had a National Housing program in Canada since 1995. With no new housing being built, with the exception of some Provincial programs the Homelessness issues have become more prevalent . Overcrowding on reserves is at a crisis level affecting the health and well being of our Aboriginal peoples. As mortgages expire, so do subsidies, so many non profits will have to sell off housing stock and new housing being built, such as Siem Lelum House in Victoria will have to run on a shoe string. Much of the problem is being downloaded on to Cities and Municipalities which don’t have the resources to take on the increased financial burden. Multiple proposals have to be written for every site to gather enough funds to proceed with Non Profits often competing with each other for scarce resources. We need a National Housing Program!
I have listed some web sites or given contact information for some of the organizations which are trying o come up with creative solutions to the Canadian Housing problem:
First nations Market Housing Fund: info@fnmhf.ca
Aboriginal Finance Officers Association: info@afoa.ca
Ready to Rent B.C.: www.readytorentbc.net
Canadian Housing and Renewal Association: www.chra-achru.ca/
B.C. Non Profit Housing Association: www.bcnpha.ca/
CMHC: www.cmhc.ca/
BC Housing: www.bchousing.org/
Aboriginal Housing Management Association: www.bchousing.org/
National Aboriginal Housing Association: www.aboriginalhousing.org/