NDP Calling on Wall Government to Immediately Develop a Housing and Poverty Reduction Strategy
NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter today introduced an emergency motion calling on the Wall Government to take immediate action to address Saskatchewan’s housing crisis. The motion comes in the wake of reports that the Salvation Army in Saskatoon was forced to turn people away from its over-capacity shelters. The motion called for immediate assistance for emergency shelters to increase their capacity to provide desperately needed services during cold months.
NDP Social Services critic David Forbes said, “Its cause for concern for all Saskatchewan people when the Salvation Army announced that their shelter was full and had to turn people away in freezing weather. People’s lives are at risk. The Wall Government’s inaction on housing is having dire consequences for low-income and homeless people in Saskatchewan,” said Forbes. “The Minister needs to stop failing families in need and get serious about addressing the housing crisis. We are calling on the government to come forward with a comprehensive affordable housing strategy and poverty reduction strategy, and to address the underlying causes of this crisis.”
Forbes said that under the Wall Government, the number of rental units in the province is falling. The vacancy rate in Regina has been less than 1 per cent for more than a year, and the average cost of a two bedroom apartment in Saskatoon has soared to more than $900 a month.
“The issue is bigger than simply finding housing for people, it’s about keeping them housed,” said Forbes. “The Wall Government continues to hide from this debate, but their inaction on the lack of affordable housing is making a bad situation worse.”
Forbes said that under the Wall Government, the number of rental units in the province is falling. The vacancy rate in Regina has been less than 1 per cent for more than a year, and the average cost of a two bedroom apartment in Saskatoon has soared to more than $900 a month.
“The issue is bigger than simply finding housing for people, it’s about keeping them housed,” said Forbes. “The Wall Government continues to hide from this debate, but their inaction on the lack of affordable housing is making a bad situation worse.”
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