2. affordable housing and bill c48 le logement abordable et le projet de loi c-48 |
That Council endorse the
resolution (attached as Document 1) in support of the Federation of Canadian
Municipalities strategy for affordable housing.
RECOMMANDATION
DU COMITÉ
Que
le Conseil approuve la résolution (qui figure en annexe à titre de Document 1)
d’appui à la stratégie de la Fédération canadienne des municipalités (FCM) en
matière de logements abordables.
DOCUMENTATION
1. Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services, report dated 24 March 2006 (ACS2006-CPS-HOU-0006).
Report to/Rapport au :
Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee
Comité de la santé, des loisirs et
des services sociaux
24 March 2006 / le 24 mars 2006
Submitted by/Soumis par : Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager/Directeur
municipal adjoint,
Community and Protective Services/Services communautaires et de
protection
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Russell Mawby, Director
Housing/Logement
(613) 580-2424 x, russell.mawby@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND BILL C48
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OBJET : |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee recommend that Council endorse the resolution (attached as Document 1) in support of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities strategy for affordable housing.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services sociaux recommande que le Conseil approuve la résolution (qui figure en annexe à titre de Document 1) d’appui à la stratégie de la Fédération canadienne des municipalités (FCM) en matière de logements abordables.
At the Board of Directors for the Federation of
Canadian Municipalities (FCM) on March 4th, unanimous support was given for the
FCM to urge the new Federal government to proceed with Bill C-48 which secured
$1.6 Billion for affordable housing.
This "ask" for affordable housing is one component in a
coordinated campaign to find ways of working with the new government to
maintain momentum for the cities and communities agenda of FCM while
recognizing the new government has priorities of its own that they will want to
try and implement.
On Tuesday, March 14, 2006, Bob Hawkesworth, Chair of the FCM
National Housing Policy Options Team (NPHOT) circulated a draft resolution to
members of NPHOT in support of that resolution.
The City of Calgary Council has unanimously adopted this resolution.
À sa réunion du 4 mars, le Conseil
d’administration de la Fédération canadienne des municipalités (FCM) a adopté à
l’unanimité une proposition demandant que la FCM exhorte le nouveau
gouvernement fédéral de mettre en œuvre les dispositions du projet de loi C-48
qui prévoit un investissement de 1,6 milliard de dollars pour la construction
de logements abordables.
Cette requête de la FCM fait partie
d’une campagne coordonnée visant à trouver des façons de collaborer avec le
nouveau gouvernement afin de maintenir l’élan du programme de soutien aux
villes et aux collectivités de la FCM, et ce, tout en reconnaissant le fait que
le nouveau gouvernement a ses propres priorités, lesquelles il entend mettre en
œuvre.
Signalons que, le mardi 14 mars
2006, Bob Hawkesworth, président de l’Équipe sur la politique nationale en
matière d’habitation (EPNMH) a soumis aux membres de l’EPNMH un projet de
résolution d’appui à cette proposition.
En outre, le Conseil municipal de la ville
de Calgary a adopté cette résolution à l’unanimité.
BACKGROUND
The key message is that while municipal government is willing to do
its part, true action on affordable housing requires the meaningful
participation of the Federal government.
Housing needs to be seen as an integral part of the infrastructure of
our communities. The affordable housing
deficit in our communities is a symptom of the fiscal imbalance between orders
of government that exists in our country.
City staff have adopted this resolution for Ottawa, and are bringing
it forward for consideration and approval by Committee.
The City of Ottawa is seen as a leader in municipal responses to
affordable housing, and, with our community partners, has been the most
productive and innovative city in the Province in the use of the currently
available funding programs.
The Province of Ontario has received approximately $320 million of funding
from the Federal Government under the first phase of the Federal commitment to
affordable housing. It is expected that
a similar amount of funding would be made available to the Province if Bill
C-48 is upheld.
The Province has committed to matching the Federal funding in the
proposed Affordable Housing Program (AHP).
The AHP currently includes three components: Capital funding for low-income rental and supported housing; Home
Ownership grants; and a Housing Allowance program for short term, shallow
subsidies for households in immediate need.
A Housing Delivery Plan is being developed for consultation with the
community, and will be brought to Council for approval in June 2006.
Staff estimate that approximately ten percent of any Federal funding
program would be made available to Ottawa.
To date we have received $10.9 million in Federal funds and $4.8 million
in Provincial funds. The City has
provided or committed $13.7 million, including capital grants, building permit
fee relief, land and associated costs.
An additional $19.7 million has been allocated to Ottawa under the
Affordable Housing Program, including the Housing Allowance and Home Ownership
components. The City is not required to
directly match funding for these programs, however to fully participate in the
Capital Grants for Rental and Supported Housing program, an additional $5.0
million would be required. There is
approximately $2.8 million remaining in the initial allocation to Action Ottawa,
requiring an additional contribution of about $2.2 million for full
participation.
If Bill C-48 is enacted, staff estimate that it would result in up
to $64 million in Federal and Provincial funding being made available to Ottawa
to support affordable housing programs.
The requirement for City matching funding is unknown at this time, and
part of FCM’s strategy with the Federal Government is that funding for
affordable housing should be entirely a Federal and Provincial
responsibility. It should also be noted
that in the proposed Affordable Housing Program, both the Housing Allowances
and Home Ownership components do not require matching municipal funding. However it should also be noted that neither
of these programs will likely be effective at meeting the needs of people on
the social housing waiting lists.
Ottawa has in the past matched each level of government to ensure
that programs reach the necessary low-income targets, and based on this, it
could be expected that the City would need to provide approximately $32 million
in matching funding.
CONSULTATION
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no direct financial implications associated
with this report. If the identified
Federal funding were made available to the Province, the City would negotiate participation,
whereupon the financial implications would be brought forward to Council, based
on the program guidelines.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 - Proposed Resolution to FCM
Document 2 - E-Mail and Notice of Motion from B. Hawkesbury, City of Calgary
DISPOSITION
Support for this resolution would be communicated to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for action and communication with the Federal Government.
NOTICE OF MOTION
Affordable Housing & Bill C48
WHEREAS, on 2005 July 22 the Government of Canada enacted Bill C-48 allowing certain payments to be made from unplanned surplus funds in the amount of $1.6 billion over two years (2006-2008) for affordable housing;
WHEREAS, Canada faces a national challenge of an affordable housing crisis;
WHEREAS, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities recently at their national Board of Directors meeting in 2006 March 3 passed a resolution urging the federal government to secure the $1.6 billion for affordable housing;
WHEREAS, there are over 67,000 Ottawa tenant and owner households that spend more than 30% of their gross household income on housing;
WHEREAS, The City of Ottawa has identified
affordable housing as a Council priority, targeting a goal of 1500 housing
units over the three year period of 2006-2008;
WHEREAS, The City of Ottawa, as an order of
government with the fewest fiscal and legislative tools, has demonstrated that
it can contribute its one-third share of the total funding required to achieve
the 1500 unit target;
WHEREAS, The City of Ottawa has identified that
the total capital funds required to achieve this target
of 1,500 low-income affordable units is $135,000,000 of which at
least $90,000,000 will be needed from the Federal and/or Provincial orders of
government;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that The City of Ottawa request the Federal government to address the affordable housing fiscal imbalance and commit to spending the $1.6 billion dedicated under Bill-C48 to affordable housing.
From: Hawkesworth, Bob
[mailto:Bob.Hawkesworth@calgary.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 12:59 AM
To: John Burrett; Nicole Ladouceur; Mawby, Russell; Andree Bouchee
(Ville de Sainte Foy); Barbara Jeffrey (Red Deer AB); Barbara Nehiley; Brunelle
Corinne (E-mail); Cheryl Kathler- City of North Van. BC (E-mail); Chuck Stam -
City of Chilliwack; Councillor Dave Kilgour (Sudbury) (E-mail); Councillor
Michael Phair (E-mail); Councillor Susan Eagle (E-mail); Felix Michna -
Lethbridge (E-mail); Greg Suttor (Toronto); Henry Kamphof (CRD-Victoria, BC); J
A Villeneuve (E-mail); Jean-Marc Delacoste - NHPOT (E-mail); Jill Davidson;
Joann Simmons (E-mail); Keith Lucas (Windsor); Keith Ward (E-mail); Boucher,
Laurie; rmccoll@kamloops.ca; Louis Methe (Quebec City) ; Lyse Poirier (Quebec
City) ; Mark Bostwick (District of North Vancouver) (E-mail); Mark Mascarenhas
(Hamilton); Mark V. Mascarenhas (E-mail); Mayor Tony DiBartolomeo (Amherstburg)
; Mel Kositsky; Nancy Laing-Goofers; Nelson Tochon (E-mail); NHPOT - Martin
Wexler (E-mail); NHPOT Carol Watamaniuk -St. Albert (E-mail); NHPOT Chilliwack
Ted Tisdale (E-mail); ON C. Vincent - City of Cornwall (E-mail); ON Lynne Gough
- Town of Oakville (E-mail); ON) Gabe Tropea (York Region (E-mail); P Brown
(E-mail); Peggy Clark - Regina; Rob Cressman (Reg Mun of Halton); Rob Fleming
(Victoria); Sharon Margison; Serge Turgeon - Sherbrooke; Shirley Van Steen
(Regional Municipality of Durham); Sylvia Patterson (York Region); Terry Lyster
- Langley (E-mail); jgreen@telus.net; sgadon@toronto.ca;
clrgreen@city.vancouver.bc.ca; lora.beckwith@regional.niagara.on.ca;
claude.larose@ville.quebec.qc.ca; teichler@city.kelowna.bc.ca;
hrob@region.waterloo.on.ca; sharonshepherd@shaw.ca;
vanessa_geary@city.vancouver.bc.ca; drandell@city.lethbridge.ab.ca;
sjeffrey@region.waterloo.on.ca; CressmaR@region.halton.on.ca;
mwade@whistler.ca; martineau.rejean@ville.gatineau.qc.ca; jp@inthehack.com;
Jay.Freeman@edmonton.ca; clrgreen@city.vancouver.bc.ca;
scottc@city.red-deer.ab.ca; cressmar@region.halton.on.ca;
dshipcla@city.kelowna.bc.ca; rmartin@ehtf.ca; nehileba@region.halifax.ns.ca;
lthomson@city.peterborough.on.ca; hkamphof@crd.bc.ca;
clrgreen@city.vancouver.bc.ca; mkositsky@tol.bc.ca;
jvilleneuve@city.surrey.bc.ca; Terry26@shaw.ca; Ceci, Joe;
seagle@city.london.on.ca; twickersham@city.lethbridge.ab.ca;
chrisco@city.victoria.bc.ca; canmore-mayor@canmore.ca;
peter.mcguire@saintjohn.ca; cchoury@cmhc-schl.gc.ca; dvanherk@cmhc.ca;
cmacarth@cmhc.ca; bpearce@nl.rogers.ca; chip.olver@town.banff.ab.ca;
michael.phair@edmonton.ca; mwade@whistler.ca; hartmf@parl.gc.ca; Papaiz,
Denise; sarah.pennisi@regional.niagara.on.ca; teichler@kelowna.ca; Lesley
Thomson; daryl.kreuzer@edmonton.ca
Cc: Boucher, Laurie; Stevens, Brad; John McGowan; Sue Welke;
Bronconnier, David; Ceci, Joe; Melodie Hope
Subject: Federal $1.6Billion for Affordable Housing - Calgary City
Council Resolution
Dear
NHPOT (National Housing Policy Options Team) Members:
By
now, many of you will be aware that at the last FCM Board of Directors meeting
on March 4th, unanimous support was given for the FCM to urge the new incoming
Federal government to secure for affordable housing, the $1.6 Billion which was
enacted in Bill C-48 in July 2005. This "ask" for affordable housing
will be one component in a coordinated campaign to find ways of working with
the new government to maintain momentum for the cities and communities agenda
of FCM while recognizing the new government has priorities of its own that they
will want to try and implement.
Earlier
today, Calgary City Council added its voice to the FCM request by adopting
the resolution on affordable housing (attached). It too, was adopted
unanimously by City Council. The resolution addresses the very specific
affordable housing context of Calgary. Just the same, it may provide you with
ideas of your own as to a resolution you might wish to consider introducing in
your own Council.
Key
messages include: while municipal government is willing to do its part, true
action on affordable housing requires the meaningful participation of the
Federal government. Housing needs to be seen as an integral part of the
infrastructure of our communities. The affordable housing deficit in our
communities is a symptom of the fiscal imbalance between orders of government
that exists in our country.
If
your Council does pass supportive resolutions, please apprise FCM and the other
members of the NHPOT network. We are also trying to expand the NHPOT network,
so please also apprise others you know that are interested in the affordable
housing issue, even if their city or town are not yet members of the NHPOT
network.
I
urge you to continue to take steps to ensure that all orders of government
realize how crucial the affordable housing issue is, if we are to
have any reasonable chance of preserving the quality of life in our communities
in the years to come.
Thank
you for any support that you can give to this campaign. I look forward to
hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Bob
Hawkesworth,
Chair,
NHPOT,
Alderman
Ward 4,
City
of Calgary
(403)
268-2411
NOTICE
OF MOTION
Affordable
Housing & Bill C48
WHEREAS, on 2005 July
22 the Government of Canada enacted Bill C-48 allowing certain payments to be
made from unplanned surplus funds in the amount of $1.6 billion over two years
(2006-2008) for affordable housing;
WHEREAS, Canada faces a
national challenge of an affordable housing crisis;
WHEREAS, the Federation
of Canadian Municipalities recently at their national Board of Directors
meeting in 2006 March 3 passed a resolution urging the federal government to
secure the $1.6 billion for affordable housing;
WHEREAS, there are over
58,000 Calgary households that spend more than 30% of their gross household
income on housing;
WHEREAS, The City
Calgary has identified affordable housing as a Council priority, targeting a
goal of 600 housing units over the three year period of 2006-2008;
WHEREAS, The City of
Calgary, as an order of government with the fewest fiscal and legislative
tools, has demonstrated that it can contribute its one-third share of the total
funding required to achieve the 600 unit target;
WHEREAS, The City of
Calgary has identified that the total capital funds required to achieve this
target of 600 units is $118,000,000 of which $79,000,000 will be needed from
the Federal and/or Provincial orders of government;
WHEREAS, Alberta
represents approximately10% of the Canadian population and therefore could
expect a per capita of Bill C-48 of close to $160,000,000;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that The City
of Calgary request the Federal government to address the affordable housing fiscal imbalance and commit to spending the
$1.6 billion dedicated under Bill-C48 to affordable housing.