First published in the Winnipeg Free Press October 19, 2020
Housing and homelessness
In this issue:
The Manitoba government is relying on KPMG consulting firm’s research to guide housing policy. A new report “KPMG sends Manitoba Housing down a dead end: Learning the wrong lessons from Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand” by Doug Smith outlines the problems of KPMG’s regressive recommendations for Manitoba. The following is the executive summary from the report.
First published in the Winnipeg Free Press September 16, 2020
Thousands of low income renters in the private market impacted by COVID-19 could face eviction in just two weeks.
Last week the Province of Manitoba issued a press release stating the moratorium on non-payment of rent during COVID is ending September 30th. In the same press release the province renewed other emergency measures, but notably did not extend the eviction moratorium.
HALIFAX and SAINT JOHN—In order to earn a living wage, a person working a full-time, full-year job must earn $21.80 in Halifax, $19.55 in Antigonish, $17.65 in Cape Breton, $16.80 in Bridgewater and $19.55 in Saint John, according to a new report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ Nova Scotia office and the Saint John Human Development Council.
The living wage was first calculated in Atlantic Canada in 2015 (Halifax). Antigonish was added in 2016 and Saint John, New Brunswick in 2018. Last year, we calculated the living wage rate for St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. This year we have added two more Nova Scotia communities: Bridgewater and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. The calculation of the living wage provides communities with the following information:
(VANCOUVER) The provincial government’s decision to end BC’s COVID-19 rental supplement and to lift the eviction ban for non-payment of rent as of September 1 is counter to British Columbians’ support for continuing emergency measures, a new poll commissioned by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives BC Office shows.
As COVID-19 slashes tenants’ incomes, Ontario needs a residential Eviction Prevention Plan: Analysis
TORONTO – Ontario tenants who have fallen behind on their rent because of COVID-19 will need provincial help to stay housed when the current eviction ban is lifted, new analysis from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and Maytree says.