Whereas recognizing housing as a human right fundamentally shifts government motivations by adding critical urgency and responsibility to ensure access to affordable housing meaning housing costs are aligned with income through policies that prevent homelessness, address the escalating housing and homelessness crisis, eliminate discrimination, and prioritize the needs of vulnerable and marginalized populations; And whereas the Government of Canada affirmed the right to housing as a matter of international law and enshrined it domestically through the National Housing Strategy Act 2019, recognizing housing as a human right and establishing mechanisms for accountability and inclusion: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call for the British Columbia Government to enshrine housing as a human right in legislation and forthcoming housing and homelessness strategies, ensuring that housing policy in British Columbia is grounded in principles of equity, accessibility, accountability, and the inherent dignity of all people.
