Defining "Affordable Housing…

Defining "Affordable Housing" at the 60th percentile "in the opinion of" the Minister is not truly affordable housing, so lets call it what it really is. "Elimination of affordable housing for minimum wage earners" or "Make everyone below the 60th percentile pay more than 30% of their income for housing".

I strongly object to the word "Affordable" being attached to the top 40% of income earners and leaving those most needy hungry and out in the cold. I strongly object to percentiles being used "in the opinion of the Minister" as the basis for deciding who will get housing at 30% of their income.

Housing legislation should consider that housing will only be "Affordable" when the province establishes a guaranteed basic income so that more people could afford 30% of their income going to pay for the roof over their heads.

In addition, "Affordable Housing" needs to be linked with provincially supported robust public transit so that people are not required to purchase an automobile to be able to get to work. Public transit needs to be in place before newly built housing units are occupied.

The proposed changes to legislation leave the province "off the hook", costing nothing for the province, but removing income from municipalities who must service built housing, while at the same time saving developers money.

This legislation reminds me of first round of hasty Green Belt decisions.

If the province wants to create incentives for developers and builders to build truly affordable housing, rather than removing cost-recovery income from municipalities, the province should provide budget assistance to any developer applying to build affordable housing. Legislation should then show how enforcing the budget assistance with built outcomes would be applied.

Health care professionals remind us that good housing results in less use of the health care system, thus reducing tax dollars needed for health care. People should not have to choose between paying the cost of their housing or buying food for their family.

Affordability needs to be connected to well-being and good health for those needing shelter, yet unable to afford shelter on their income level.

Using the 60th percentile as a factor to determine 30% of income toward housing does not provide affordable housing for Ontarians who are most in need. Indeed 60% of income earners are below the 60th percentile!

Affordability needs to be defined differently.