wfn.org | UCCan - Canadians Campaign for Affordable Housing

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, June 2, 2004

Over 2 Million Canadians Can't Be Wrong: A Housing Solution That Works!

Toronto:  Today the National Coalition on Housing and Homelessness
launched a national campaign to seek federal action on affordable
housing.

The campaign - "Over 2 Million Canadians Can't Be Wrong!" - is a fresh
initiative to build support for a new national affordable housing
program.

The campaign slogan draws attention to the fact that until 1993, Canada
had a national affordable housing program that created over 650,000
housing units, which today successfully houses over 2 million Canadians.
Joyce Potter, President of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association
said, "It's time to build on the success of this legacy which provides
permanently affordable housing." In calling for federal action on
affordable housing, the Coalition is recommending that the government go
"back to the future"!

Mark Goldblatt of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada stated,
"The call for a new federal housing initiative is set against the
national tragedy that there are three quarters of a million Canadian
households paying more than 50% of their income to keep a roof over
their heads."

The Coalition is urging Canadians, including all political parties and
candidates in the federal election, to endorse the creation of a new
dedicated federal social housing program to help build 25,000 new homes
per year for at least the next decade. Jim Marshall of The United Church
of Canada added, "The new program must ensure the creation of housing
which would be available to low and middle income families and
individuals, including meeting the needs of the aboriginal community."

In the coming weeks the Coalition will advertise the campaign in
communities countrywide and release a "rolling list" of campaign
endorsers.

Organizers of the Coalition will be drawing attention to the issue of
affordable housing and the need for the federal political parties to
make strong commitments to a new national social housing program in the
lead-up to the election on June 28th.

The National Coalition on Housing and Homelessness is supported by a
variety of organizations concerned about housing issues. These include
the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, the National Anti-Poverty
Organization, the Co-op Housing Federation of Canada, The United Church
of Canada, Family Service Canada, the Anglican Church of Canada, the
Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association, Raising the Roof, and the
Toronto Disaster Relief Committee. The Coalition would also like to
thank the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for their support of
this initiative.

Contacts: The United Church of Canada
Jim Marshall (416) 231-7680 ext. 4079

Canadian Housing and Renewal Association/Association Canadienne
d'Habitation et de Renovation Urbaine
Sharon Chisholm (613) 594-3007 ext. 11 or
Joyce Potter (613)745-8751

Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada
Mark Goldblatt (613)230-2201 ext. 222

For more information go to www.housingnow.ca

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