City co-ops are joining the fight for a national affordable housing strategy.
Burnaby-Douglas MP Kennedy Stewart is working with local co-ops on customized petitions that he intends to present in Parliament.
"Halston Hills was the first co-op to participate with over 100 members signing a petition expressing their concerns and how they would like the federal government to re-commit to a robust federal cooperative housing program," Stewart wrote in an email to the NOW. "This same process is underway in most other co-ops, with the hope being that I can table petitions in the House of Commons for all co-ops before the end of this Parliament."
The government is required to respond to petitions within 45 days, so long as the petition is signed by 25 people or more, he added.
Stewart presented Motion 547 in the House of Commons, calling for an affordable housing strategy, last November.
The Burnaby Task Force on Homelessness is backing the motion and approached Burnaby council to do so as well. Council agreed to support the motion at Monday night's meeting.
"Burnaby residents living in extreme poverty and homelessness have limited options for support services and housing and no local shelter within their home community," the co-chairs of the task force, Darin Froese and Carolyn Orazetti, wrote in a letter to council. "This results in dire living situations for Burnaby's vulnerable citizens."
The task force was formed in 2005 and is made up of representatives from government agencies, Fraser Health, RCMP, social service and community organizations, business improvement associations, housing providers, faith communities and residents.
"The 2011 City of Burnaby Social Sustainability Report stated that almost 20 per cent of Burnaby households had incomes below $20,000 in 2005," the letter stated. "The Progressive Housing Society homeless outreach program assists between 30 and 40 new clients each month."
Stewart's motion asks that the federal government work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Aboriginal communities and housing providers to create and implement an affordable housing strategy.
The strategy would affirm that access to adequate housing is a human right; provide financial assistance to those who cannot afford adequate housing; ensure the cost of housing doesn't compromise people's abilities to meet their basic needs; maintain and expand direct federal investments in social housing, including not-for-profit cooperatives; and set clear targets and objectives to prevent and end homelessness.
The strategy also includes plans to examine the potential impact of investor speculation and housing vacancies on real estate in urban areas and take into account the unique needs of different regions.
For the complete motion, go to bit.ly/1D48Rka.
Co-op members who want to work with Stewart on a customized petition for their co-ops can call his constituency office at 604-291-8863.
