CHRA Releases Two Submissions to the Federal Government on the National Housing Strategy; Help Us Spread the Word!

 
CHRA has written the Minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and the Minister of Indiginous and Northern Affairs, with 2 sets of documents related to the release of the National Housing Strategy this fall.  The first document contains recommendations related to the housing-related programs and announcements contained in the 2017 federal Budget unveiled in March.  Although many of the programs announced in the 2017 Budget closely align with CHRA’s own recommendations in our October 2016 National Housing Strategy submission, there remain many outstanding questions and details to address.  The intent of this document is to provide the federal government with recommendations on how to implement these programs. 

The second document is intended to serve as a policy framework for a distinct urban and rural Indigenous housing strategy.  This document was produced with the input of the Indigenous Caucus during its meeting in Halifax in early May, and with the oversight of the CHRA Indigenous Caucus Working Group.  It is CHRA’s position that there cannot be a National Housing Strategy without an Indigenous Housing Strategy; this document contains objectives and specific ideas that CHRA believes should form the basis for that Indigenous Housing Strategy.

CHRA Response to the Federal Budget and Recommendations for the National Housing Strategy document

CHRA Recommendations for an Urban and Rural Indigenous Housing Strategy  

In the months leading up to the announcement of a National Housing Strategy, CHRA will be communicating the ideas in these documents to politicians, government officials, and other key partners.  However, we can’t do it alone.  We’re asking all CHRA members to take a moment and communicate your support for these ideas with your Members of Parliament.  To help, we’ve provided several tweets below which can be easily sent.  We’d also encourage you to download copies of the report, and provide them to your Member of Parliament over the summer, or send them a letter or email expressing your support for these ideas.  To find your Member of Parliament and their contact information using your postal code, use the following website:  http://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members.  Let’s make sure our Members of Parliament know that social and affordable housing, and an Indigenous housing strategy, need to be cornerstones of a National Housing Strategy!

 

Sample Tweets

  • 23% of Indigenous peoples live in substandard conditions. #NationalHousingStrategy2017- read CHRA’s response http://bit.ly/2tctp0a
  • Everyone should have a place to call home. #NationalHousingStrategy2017 should legislate the right to housing and invest in the sector
  • Revamped AHI program needs to include greater transparency, ensure incrementality, timeliness of transfers, and introduce funding parameters.
  • #NationalHousingStrategy2017- revamp the Homelessness Partnering Secretariat to focus on community solutions and recognition of unique needs
  • #NationalHousingStrategy2017 should create an arms-length, independent Housing Research Hub dedicated to housing research
  • #NationalHousingStrategy2017 should dedicate grants and low cost loans for capital repair and renovation of RGI units
  • #NationalHousingStrategy2017 should focus $5B Ntl Housing Fund on repair/reno, development, rent subsidies, Sector Transformation Fund
  • CHRA responds to 2017 Budget and forthcoming Ntl Housing Strategy with recommendations. #NationalHousingStrategy2017 http://bit.ly/2tcujd6
  • #NationalHousingStrategy2017 is a once in a generation opportunity to address social and affordable housing. http://bit.ly/2tcujd6