→ Comparison to Recommendation 1

1. Develop a new federal, provincial and territorial affordable housing framework agreement

The NDP pledges to “Introduce the NDP Affordable Housing Act.  The  bill  will  recognize  housing  as  a  right  and  lead  to  the development of a national housing strategy that will prioritize housing for the most vulnerable in our society”. The NDP has said that they will “bring federal leadership back to affordable housing”.

In the response to ACTO, and in the  letter sent to COH staff in response to the CACHC petition the NDP  points to Bill C-400, which was sponsored by MP Marie-Claude Morin and failed to get support to move to committee on February 27th 2013. The bill was defeated by a vote of 153 against (all Conservatives voting) and 129 in favour (all Liberals, NDP, Green and Independent candidates voting). That bill calls for the development of a national housing strategy after consultation with all levels of government (including Aboriginal) as well as housing providers and community organizations.

MP Boutin-Sweet also points out that Bill C-241 was tabled to “amend the Canadian Bill of Rights to include the right to proper housing, at a reasonable cost and free of unreasonable barriers. [Also] I introduced Motion M-450, calling on the federal government to work with the provinces, territories, municipalities and community partners to maintain and expand, in line with Canada’s obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the federal investment in social housing, including the renewal of the current budget envelope for long-term social housing operating agreements, in order to preserve rent subsidies and provide funds for necessary renovations”.

The Housing First initiative will be reexamined by an NDP government. The party told COH “We understand that the Housing First approach may not be appropriate for all jurisdictions and we are absolutely committed to working with housing groups to make sure funding is allocated in a way that recognizes their concerns.”