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Federal housing plan has gaps: MP Ashton

Concerns have been raised about the federal government’s National Housing Strategy and how it might affect – or not affect – northern Manitoba.
Housing

Concerns have been raised about the federal government’s National Housing Strategy and how it might affect – or not affect – northern Manitoba.

The federal government announced $40 million in spending in November for the plan, which aims to build housing for people in need across the sociopolitical spectrum, ranging from low-income individuals, seniors, refugees, veterans and people with disabilities.

The program does not come without criticism, especially surrounding its implementation in the north.

Churchill-Keewatinook Aski MP Niki Ashton said the announcement does not present a realistic portrayal of Flin Flon or Northern Manitoba’s housing worries.

“The federal housing announcement falls short on a number of fronts and is not in tune with the needs of northern and rural communities, including Flin Flon,” wrote Ashton in an email to The Reminder.

Ashton said she was troubled by the fact that the money will be given out based on partnerships with provincial governments.

“This is of particular concern in Manitoba where the current provincial government has been slashing public spending,” said Ashton, who also noted that most of the funds through the program would be given out after 2019, enabling the Liberal party to use the money as a campaign tool.

“Housing is a major issue now in communities like Flin Flon and elsewhere – we should be getting on board now to fix the problem,” said Ashton.

While Flin Flon’s population has shrunk each in each federal census since 1961, going from an all-time high of 11,104 to 5,185 people in the 2016 survey, the city still has key needs for housing. An increasingly high number of seniors in Flin Flon has meant a need for affordable and available seniors’ housing – a need that has not been accompanied by the opening of any new seniors’ units in recent years.

Mayor Cal Huntley said the City is waiting to see what provincial and federal initiatives will meet Flin Flon’s needs. Huntley said Ashton’s concerns appeared to be more focused on rural areas of the north than municipalities.

“From Flin Flon’s perspective, we are actively engaged in looking for opportunities around seniors’ housing at all levels,” he said.

Huntley said the City was most likely in key with the view of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) on the issue of housing.

“We are probably more inline with the FCM’s current position but are waiting to see what initiatives manifest from the Feds and the Province that will support our needs,” wrote Huntley.

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