SASKATOON — The government and the opposition continue to clash on the province’s affordable housing issue, with the former expressing its efforts to help solve the crisis through an $88.4-million-dollar commitment in this fiscal year’s budget for renovations and repairs.
The provincial government, through Social Services Minister Terry Jenson, on Thursday, July 31, opened four housing units in the Riversdale neighbourhood, a project in agreement with the federal government’s National Housing Strategy.
"The opening of the four new housing units in Saskatoon expands access to affordable homes, while creating spaces that promote safety, security and brighter futures. The development reflects our ongoing commitment to expanding affordable housing across the province,” said Jenson, who is also the Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Housing Corp.
The four-unit housing facility, located at 501 Avenue H South, includes two accessible one-bedroom units and two bachelor units, giving four individuals renting through the Saskatoon Housing Authority a place to call home.
It is part of a $1.1M investment by the federal and Saskatchewan provincial governments, under the National Housing Strategy, a 10-year, $115 billion plan to provide affordable housing to Canadians.
Secretary of State for Rural Development Buckley Belanger said the federal government was elected on the promise of building Canada, and they will be working to provide affordable housing to every community in the country.
"The federal government is committed to working with provinces and territories to provide people in communities like Saskatoon the support they need to access adequate, affordable housing. This new housing development announced today is another step toward making sure every Canadian has a safe, comfortable place to live,” said Belanger.
Jenson added that the provincial government acknowledges the issue and is doing the best it can, but building new affordable housing units or repairing existing ones does not happen instantly and needs cooperation from various sectors.
“It takes planning from the federal government, the provincial government, down to the municipalities, as well as the housing authorities, to get these units built. We wish we could move faster,” said Jenson.
We're limited by the resources available to us in the construction sector. Contractors are very busy. We have a bustling province. The population is growing. The number of houses being constructed is growing.”
He commends the Saskatoon Housing Authority, under the leadership of General Manager Alex McKay-Argyriou, for using all the resources they can acquire not only to build new housing units like the four-plex that opened at 501 Avenue H South, but also to renovate and repair existing houses in stock.
“As soon as those units are ready for occupancy, it's housing authorities such as SHA, with Alex [McKay-Argyriou], they go through their wait list and they determine based on the highest priority and the highest need to get those individuals into permanent housing,” said Jenson.
Not a cause for celebration
The Saskatchean NDP, through Shadow Minister of Housing April ChiefCalf, however, downplayed the four new houses since the province still faces a housing crisis, and again repeated that there are vacant units across the province that are not being used.
“An announcement of four new housing units is hardly cause for celebration — not when there are more than 2,000 vacant social housing units in this province and thousands of people living on the street,” said ChiefCalf in a statement.
“The Sask. Party has shown time and time again that they are not taking the issue of homelessness and skyrocketing rent seriously. It’s time for bold action. Our team is focused on the future, and that includes ensuring every person in Saskatchewan has a safe and affordable home to call their own.”
