In January 2020, the City of Ottawa Council declared an EMERGENCY of housing and homelessness in Ottawa and hoped that other cities did the same stating:  “Lives are at stake.  When lives are at stake we call that an emergency.” 

• In Ottawa, see City declares housing emergency – CBC – January 29, 2020;   Councillor calling for state of emergency over homelessness – CBC - December 11, 2019.  Ottawa Food Bank supports motion to declare a housing emergency in Ottawa – Ottawa Food Bank BLOG - January 30, 2020.  Why Ottawa can’t spend its way out of the homelessness crisis – CBC – December 18, 2018.
•  In Toronto, Councillors and others advocated for “immediate emergency attention” regarding Toronto’s housing and homelessness crisis – see Declare Toronto homelessness a state of emergency, advocate group says – CBC – January 22, 2019. 

Affordable housing is especially important to key population segments with low, moderate and fixed incomes such as ESSENTIAL WORKERS in health care and retail, seniors, the disabled and the homeless.

In Calgary:

• 19% households could not afford market rent = 89,000 households (19.06% of 467,000 total households) in 2016/2017.    This increased by 4.7% to  approximately 93,212 households (19.06% of 489,100 total households) in 2019.  (See NOTE A.)
• There were 4,153 on the WAITLIST for Calgary Housing Company affordable housing. (See NOTE B) in 2018.
• 3,000 people were reported homeless in 2016. (See NOTE C).
• The affordable rent calculated from the median income of the bottom 90% of income tax filers was $895/month - Statistics Canada 2017.  See:  MAKE IT TOP PRIORITY: Affordable housing is key to community prosperity – the FRONTLINE needs it.

Affordable housing is critical to fostering ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, including resulting from “small businesses”/entrepreneurs and is also key to MENTAL HEALTH:   

• See prior UPDATES to this petition:  MAKE IT TOP PRIORITY: Affordable housing is key to community prosperity – the FRONTLINE needs it;  SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES – Protect residential and commercial renters; and Affordable Housing is Important to Mental Health – CHANGE CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER.
• Small businesses are often called the engine of an economy.  Calgary has a higher ratio of small businesses per capita than other major Canadian cities.  More than 90% of businesses in Calgary’s census metropolitan area (CMA) are considered “small” (with less than 50 employees).  (See NOTE D.)  In the future – and as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic - more people may choose to work from home:  Two thirds of Canadians who work from home hope to continue it after pandemic: Poll – Calgary Herald – June 12, 2020.
• The impact of COVID-19 pandemic necessitates that key issues can no longer be ignored:  We need to stay home – but what if you don’t have one? – The Star Calgary – April 5, 2020.

It is therefore important to PLAN, PROVIDE and PROTECT the “RIGHT” and “AFFORDABLE” housing across a CONTINUUM of affordable housing options, incomes, family types…  The CMHC states the following regarding affordable housing:

“In Canada, housing is considered “affordable” if it costs less than 30% of a household’s before-tax income. Many people think the term “affordable housing” refers only to rental housing that is subsidized by the government. In reality, it’s a very broad term that can include housing provided by the private, public and non-profit sectors. It also includes all forms of housing tenure: rental, ownership and co-operative ownership, as well as temporary and permanent housing.”  [Emphasis added]

Ensuring the “RIGHT” affordable housing should be an inherent strategy of Municipal Community Planning Processes - a FIRST consideration and the TOP PRIORITY:  not an after-thought or NO thought at all:

1.  CMHC provides “A Guide for Canadian Municipalities for the Development of a Housing Action Plan” – January 2010:  GUIDE and WEBSITE -  for planning and implementing affordable housing.

2.   Vancouver, British Columbia PLANS and IMPLEMENTS the “RIGHT” and “AFFORDABLE” Housing

• Planning for a build-out of affordable rental housing in Metro Vancouver.  How many units and how much would it cost? – December 11, 2019 – Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Vancouver Foundation, BCGEU, BC Non-Profit Housing Association, BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, and CUPE 1767.
• New approach to rental development incentives ‘greatly preferable’ to old plan, Vancouver Councillor Adrian Carr says– Globe and Mail – March 25, 2019.  “Vancouver is trying yet another unique experiment to entice developers into building rental apartments. But this one, unlike the city’s decade-old rental-incentive policy that has been much criticized for the high rents charged, will require that 20 per cent of the units in the building be rented at prices far below current rates: $950 for a studio; $1,200 for a one-bedroom; $2,000 for a three-bedroom. And those rents can’t be increased by more than the provincial allowable increase, even if a tenant moves out and a new one arrives…”
• See also: Vancouver council’s moves to boost rental housing ‘a big deal’ – Vancouver Sun – November 28, 2019;  Affordable housing in Vancouver can only happen under new rental program, Stewart says – April 14, 2019 – Globe and Mail;  Creating and protecting market rental housing website – The City of Vancouver, Vancouver Housing – with the Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program.
• Data analysis, tracking and reporting with quarterly updates is key.  See Housing Vancouver strategy: Three-year action plan: https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/housing-vancouver-action-plan.aspx - with Housing Vancouver Strategy Annual Progress Report and Data Book 2019 and The City of Vancouver Housing Vancouver Progress Report Dashboard 2019 Q3 Update.

Providing the “RIGHT” and “AFFORDABLE” housing is important as per key housing TRENDS:

A.  The shift to rental from buying

1. Canada's mortgage insurer tightens rules as it forecasts home-price drop of up to 18% - Calgary Herald - June 4, 2020.
2. CMHC to tighten lending standards for home buyers – Globe and Mail – June 4, 2020.
3. Housing market will take years to climb out of the hole brought on by ‘historic recession’: CMHC – Calgary Herald -  May 27, 2020.
4. New home construction could drop by as much as 75 per cent from early-year levels, CMHC warns – Globe and Mail – May 27, 2020.
5. Calgary housing market sees shift to rental – Globe and Mail - November 4, 2019.
6. Rental buildings make comeback as housing crunch pushes demand, returns – Globe and Mail - November 4, 2019. 
7. Almost half of Canada’s millennials think owning a home is just a ‘pipe dream’ – Calgary Herald – February 7, 2020. KPMG poll.
8. Why young people who can afford it are choosing not to buy homes in Calgary – CBC – January 23, 2018.
9. Condo prices are set to put many investors in the red as rents fail to meet carrying costs, experts warn – The Star Calgary – January 12, 2020.

B.  The need to protect “older” – and likely more affordable - rental housing

1. In Calgary, a builder emphasis on rental puts pressure on existing tenants – Globe and Mail – January 16, 2020. Reveals that higher rents in NEWLY built apartment buildings in Calgary – built in 2012 or later – are at approximately $2.00 to $2.44 per square foot. These higher rents are leading to higher rents at the “older” buildings – including at Boardwalk REIT’s Skygate Tower where I have lived for the past 22+ years.  This is despite apparently no NEW capital improvement to warrant the higher rental rates. See Q4-2019 UA Calgary Rental Take Report by Urban Analytics:  “2019: Year of The Rental Boom”, Q1-2020 UA Calgary Rental Take “Pre-Pandemic Positivity”,  and Alberta Market Update, February 11, 2020  - by Urban Analytics.
2. The rental rush:  Investors are scooping up apartment buildings and tenants are getting squeezed – Globe and Mail – November 29, 2019.
3. Canadians are clinging to affordable rent as long as they can – Globe and Mail – September 4, 2019.
4. Staying put:  How Toronto’s tenants are coping with a rental crisis – Globe and Mail – January 17, 2020.
5.  ‘No magic bullet’ for maintaining Metro Vancouver’s affordable housing stock – Vancouver Sun – November 16, 2015.

C.  Young people/professionals need affordable housing and a FUTURE that includes employment and that may include raising a family

1.  Why Calgary is losing its young adults – CBC – February 3, 2020.
2. ‘It just feels pretty dire‘: What it’s like for young Alberta men facing a 20% unemployment rate – CBC – December 11, 2019.
3.  Many young professionals leaving Vancouver over high cost of housing – Globe and Mail – January 13, 2019.
4. Young professionals leaving Vancouver over high cost of housing – CTV – January 13, 2019.
5.  Ontario cities should build more family-friendly row house rentals, CMHC report says – Star Calgary/The Star – January 30, 2020.
6.  OPINION:  Calgary’s slogan should be “The Family Friendly City” – CBC – February 6, 2020.

D. Seniors are a growing segment of communities: Seniors need affordable housing and to “age in place” in age-friendly communities.  (Prior update to this petition.)

E  Immigrants are key to municipal prosperity: they need affordable housing

1.  Immigrants drive Canada’s urban growth as housing costs linked to Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal exodus – Globe and Mail – February 13, 2020.
2.  Newcomers to Canada struggle amid Toronto’s housing crisis – Globe and Mail – January 6, 2020.
3.  Growing number of newcomers, refugees ending up homeless in Canada: studies – CBC – August 9, 2019.
4.  Migration is a key source of population increase in Calgary at a time of decreasing births in Calgary (see NOTE E). In 2019: Total increase = 18,367 > net migration = 9,560 (52%); natural increase/births = 8,807 (48%). In 2015:  Total Increase = 35,712 > net migration = 24,900 (70%); natural increase/births = 10,812 (30%).

F. Airbnb rules are needed to ensure adequate supply of affordable housing

1.  How Toronto’s Airbnb rules could shake up the rental market – Globe and Mail – February 17, 2020.

G. Protection of existing affordable housing is important – including for low-and-moderate income earners, vulnerable populations and to attract tech workers and newcomers –even more important at this time of  the COVID-19 pandemic

1.  Tenants rally demanding rent relief, extended eviction ban from Ford government – National Observer – June 9, 2020.
2.  Residential landlords face mounting calls for rent relief as COVID-19 results in layoffs, income loss – Globe and Mail – March 24, 2020.
3.  Big City rental blues: a look at Canada’s rental housing deficit – Pace of new supply must double in Toronto to meet future demand  - September 25, 2019 – RBC Economics, Focus on Canadian Housing.
4.  Big city mayors want federal parties to change the definition of affordable housing – Globe and Mail – August 28, 2019.  Want to include commuting costs.
5.  Canada’s Affordable Housing Issue Isn’t Just a Big City Problem – U.S. News – March 5, 2020.
6.  Canada’s apartment vacancy rate hits lowest level since 2002, squeezing renters – Globe and Mail – January 15, 2020.
7.  Calls for Calgary rent control – CTV Calgary – January 17, 2020.
8.  Rental prices down in Calgary, but vulnerable populations still feeling pinch – Calgary Herald - February 20, 2020.
9.  Calgary outpaces Toronto and Vancouver as Canada’s least-affordable city for low-income residents – CBC - June 29, 2017.
10.  New report finds Alberta with most expensive rental housing in Canada – Calgary Herald - September 11, 2015.
11.  In Edmonton Centre, affordable housing can be hard to find – CBC – October 10, 2019.
12. Call for 'vacancy control' to curb Vancouver rental rates – Globe and Mail – January 31, 2020.
13.  Rental vacancies up in Ottawa, but so’s the rent – 2-bedroom units in city’s west end led surge in rental prices in 2019 – CBC – January 16, 2020.
14.  Purpose-built rental developments in GTA crucial to prevent ‘full-blown affordability crisis’:  CIBC – Financial Post – March 15, 2017.  “Rents are sky high in the GTA.  The housing market in the Greater Toronto Area is in serious need of government intervention if living in Canada’s largest metropolis is to remain affordable, according to a new report by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.”
15.  Vancouver’s affordability crisis is hampering it much-touted ‘livability’ – Globe and Mail – January 24, 2020.: “…In many ways the struggle to get affordable rental housing for tech workers is affordability issue No. 1 for the tech sector in Vancouver…” On the Resonance Consultancy’s World’s Best Cities 2020 Report: Vancouver ranks  41 out of 100 and Calgary ranks 48.
16.  Vancouver keeps crown as Canadian metropolis with highest rents and lowest vacancies – CBC - January 15, 2020.
17. Toronto area housing market has a ‘missing middle,’ new report says – CBC - May 23, 2017.
18.  Laneway home advocates hope for more approvals amid city’s ‘housing crisis’ – CBC – January 14, 2020.

THANK YOU, fellow Canadians, for signing the petition!!  It really does help.  Let’s PROTECT RENTERS:  let’s make it a WIN-WIN-WIN solution for Renters and Community as well as Landlords.  Please pass the petition on to others!

Stay safe, stay healthy!                               

Anne

We the Courageous

NOTE A:  Housing Needs Assessment 2018 - The City of Calgary, including at page 19: 2016/2017 Statistics Canada and – Calgary and Region Economic Outlook 2019-2024 - The City of Calgary – Fall 2019, page 31.

NOTE B:   Calgary Housing Company Annual Report 2018, page 10.

NOTE C:  Housing Needs Assessment 2018 – The City of Calgary, including at page 2.

NOTE D:  #ResilientYYC Preliminary Resilience Assessment – The City of Calgary - March 2018, page 71.

NOTE E: The City of Calgary Civic Census Results Book, page 13.