Issues surrounding the affordability and availability of housing in the province were on the mind of David Forbes as he visited the Battlefords Oct. 7.
Forbes, social services and housing critic for the NDP in the provincial legislature, has been touring communities around the province as the NDP continues its policy-development process in advance of the 2011 election, seeking feedback and information on housing issues throughout the province.
"We've heard loud and clear housing is an issue," said Forbes to reporters. "Housing, in many ways, is the issue for young people, seniors, in this province, and they want real solutions."
Forbes said that the provincial government has fallen short on the housing issue because "there's been no provincial strategy - no strategy to meet the needs of everyone."
"We've seen the outcome of that," Forbes added, noting rent in North Battleford is up, on average, 10 per cent this year. Last year, rents were up 8.9 per cent, he said.
Forbes noted housing has to be thought of as more than simply shelters.
"These are people's homes," said Forbes. "This is where you go at night to restore your energy, your mental health, all of that."
Instead, he is noticing concerns about overcrowding and other issues. He noted there were no three-bedroom apartments available in the Battlefords and called that a real issue for families.
"There's a real shortfall. We need to do something about that," said Forbes.
Forbes and Battlefords MLA Len Taylor spent the day meeting with indviduals involved with housing in the Battlefords, before stopping for a meeting with reporters at Taylor's constituency office shortly after 3 pm.
The NDP housing critic had previously been to Prince Albert, La Ronge and Moose Jaw. He described a "groundswell" of concern out there about housing.
"Everybody's talking about this issue," Forbes said. "It's not going away."
The goal of the tour, said Taylor, who had joined Forbes on his Battlefords visit, was to develop policies so the NDP would be able to start governing right away when they returned to office.
Forbes said there was a need for "a comprehensive housing strategy that involves all partners," including the federal government - which, he noted, also doesn't have a housing strategy.
He said the province should partner with the municipalities and with First Nations and others on the issue.
Forbes said he is encouraged to hear some possible solutions being proposed.
"We're in the listening stage right now," he said.
A wide range of issues concerned Forbes, including the cost of housing and lack of rental accommodations, as well as the impact on seniors, students and others.
Forbes said the NDP were ready to look across Canada at "what are best practices" for preventing excessive rent hikes. There were too many examples of people being gouged for rent, Forbes said, adding people shouldn't be afraid to have a full discussion on the issue.
Forbes indicated the NDP was willing to consider discussing the possibility of rent control. He noted 80 per cent of Canadians live in provinces that have some form of "rent regulation" that would protect them from increased rent. He believes it has helped in a number of cases, noting that in Manitoba rents were going up only 1.9 per cent under rent control.
Forbes talked extensively about the impact of high rental costs on seniors, noting the only unknown for those fixed-income individuals is what could happen with the rents.
Forbes also noted there were serious issues with individuals doubling-up or tripling-up with rental accommodations because they couldn't afford the rents. He said this issue was coming up with respect to student housing. Both Forbes and Taylor said it was a challenge for students to even find housing to be able to complete educational programs.
The need for workers in Saskatchewan communities has also created problems, Forbes said, with inadequate housing available to accommodate incoming workers.
"We're hearing stories of people living in campgrounds," he said, adding suitable housing was an essential need for people to do their work.
He also wants to make sure rents don't go "artificially high" just because a couple of hundred people arrive in a community for jobs.
"There must be some way to accommodate those workers coming into the community."
Forbes said housing costs might discourage potential workers from coming to the province. He noted that up until November 2007 Saskatchewan used to be known as an affordable place to live.
"It's no longer a very affordable place to live. So workers are taking a second look."
Housing has also been on Taylor's mind. He spoke out last year against proposed large hikes in rent at the Killdeer Apartments alongside a number of Killdeer residents.
Taylor said since the apartment building has changed hands again and a number of people have moved out. But the underlying issue remains unresolved, he said.
"What the people at Killdeer were talking about - the issue is still there," said Taylor .
The issue is to protect seniors on fixed incomes and low-and-middle income people renting the property from massive rent increases, he said.
"The government remains silent on the issue," said Taylor.
He also noted seniors who were being told to accept rent increases or move out were finding they were having trouble locating any alternatives because of the housing shortages .
