The new UK government of Gordon Brown announced on Monday that it will invest £8 billion (that’s more than $17 billion in Canadian dollars) over the next three years for new affordable homes. That’s a 50% increase over current housing spending and will fund about 70,000 new homes annually when the programme is fully rolled […]
Housing
Family homelessness hits 20-year high in NYC
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s 2004 plan to cut homelessness in the Big Apple by two-thirds produced an almost immediate decline in the number of people in homeless shelters. But the latest numbers show a sharp upward spike to the highest number of homeless families in two decades. All the details are available from […]
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Reality check: Correcting Minister Solberg's monetary musings…
Federal housing and homelessness minister Monte Solberg is keen to portray his government as generous and compassionate when it comes to those who are poorly housed or have no home at all. Here’s what Minister Monte Solberg had to say in a letter to the editor in the July 16, 2007, Toronto Star, in response […]
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Wellesley update: Why all the fuss from realtors about TOs land transfer tax?
Torontos proposed land transfer tax, far from being a massive tax grab since it targets people who can least afford it (according to the Toronto Real Estate Board), in fact targets high-end properties, such as the typical Rosedale mansion that sells for $1.5 million, for the biggest bite. Torontos property market is becoming increasingly expensive, […]
Continue ReadingWellesley update: Why all the fuss from realtors about TOs land transfer tax?
New British PM uses "h" word in maiden speech
The new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, as he took office today, used the “h” word in his short (352 word), maiden speech as PM. He identified change with affordable housing as a priority of his administration. This is a significant recognition of the important role that the government plays in helping households access and […]
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Proven: Canada cannot afford homelessness
A comprehensive new report by Gordon Laird for the Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership, released today, puts the cost of homelessness in Canada at $49.5 billion over the past decade. The research study includes a number of important findings, including: – poverty is the leading cause of homelessness; – homelessness is on the […]
New TO tax is fair, efficient, simple… and it could get new homes built!
Toronto City Councils Executive Committee will consider a recommendation for a new land transfer tax at its June 25, 2007, meeting. An extract from the exec agenda, with more information, is attached. This is an important new source of funding for urgently-needed housing funding that, combined with fully-funded national and provincial housing plans, would allow […]
Continue ReadingNew TO tax is fair, efficient, simple… and it could get new homes built!
More bad news for renters…
Canada’s four million renter households woke up to more bad news this morning as the latest survey from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation shows that the country’s already dangerously low rental vacancy rate has slipped even lower. There’s more bad news: The CMHC survey reveals that over the past year, rents have increased faster than […]
14 Cents Per Day Won’t Build Many New Homes: Wellesley Institute Ontario Provincial Pre-Budget Backgrounder (March 2007)
Ontario’s spending on affordable housing has been flatlined for several years , one reason why the provincial government has fallen far short of the targets that it has set for new affordable homes. The Wellesley Institute’s Ontario pre-budget backgrounder provides some advance information as Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara prepares to deliver the provincial budget on […]
Continue Reading14 Cents Per Day Won’t Build Many New Homes: Wellesley Institute Ontario Provincial Pre-Budget Backgrounder (March 2007) Download Publication14 Cents Per Day Won’t Build Many New Homes: Wellesley Institute Ontario Provincial Pre-Budget Backgrounder (March 2007)
Toronto’s Sheltered Homeless: Up Or Down?
There are more men, women and youth sleeping every night in Toronto’s shelters in 2006 than 2002, but the number of families is down. This Wellesley Institute Backgrounder provides an analysis of the latest numbers regarding “sheltered” homeless in Toronto.
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