WHEREAS the lack of affordable housing and numbers of homeless have reached crisis levels on southern Vancouver Island; AND WHEREAS the provincial government was warned by a wide range of community groups and gerontology specialists that focusing on an assisted living program from other housing needs would not be the best use of federal-provincial funds for housing: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities call on the provincial government to reinstate the Homes BC program or similar comprehensive housing program to deliver much needed affordable and appropriate housing for seniors, low income families and individuals and those with special needs.
Ministry of Forests and Range Since June 2001, the provincial government has committed funding for the construction of over 4,600 new units of subsidized housing through the Provincial Housing Program and the Community Partnerships Initiative. The government is focusing on providing assistance to those in greatest need. This includes frail seniors, people with physical and mental disabilities, families who have experienced violence and those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Our aim is to give priority to those individuals or families with special housing needs, who cannot be adequately served by the private rental market. The provincial government welcomes the contributions the federal government is making to affordable housing through the two Affordable Housing Agreements signed with British Columbia in 2001 and 2004 and the allocation of 1.6 billion for housing in the 2005 federal budget. The provincial government has contributed 130.7 million to match the federal contribution under the two agreements, and the combined contributions are being used to develop a continuum of affordable housing with support services. In addition, the Province has increased funding for housing programs to nearly 172 million for the 20052006 fiscal year, the largest annual level ever in BC. The federal government, provinces and territories are currently involved in discussions to develop a framework and principles to guide initiatives to address the need for long-term sustainable improvements to housing in Canada. Through the development of a provincial housing strategy, the provincial government is taking a comprehensive approach to meeting the housing needs of British Columbians. We are working to help ensure appropriate housing solutions are available for vulnerable households in greatest need, while also reviewing ways to improve market housing affordability overall.