Letter to the Editor

Homelessness in Canada has doubled since 2018, driven by the shrinking supply of affordable rental units for the lowest-income Canadians. According to the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, nearly a million more Canadians are on the edge of homelessness right now.

So, without action, the problem in our community is likely to get even worse.

But we have a once-in-a-decade opportunity to change course, because Canada’s next national housing strategy is being developed right now.

A reimagined Canada Housing Benefit (CHB) alone could reduce homelessness by 60% and provide housing security for hundreds of thousands of families. We also need deeply affordable housing.

Now is the time for the government to prioritize homelessness. Our federal representatives need to hear us loud and clear.

I’m encouraging readers to help speak up. Go to caeh.ca/nhs-letter to learn more and take action.

Barbara Schindler,

Cranbrook

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