MPs Need to Back Housing Bill

In an otherwise good editorial, there was a glaring omission from the list of “serious business” for returning MPs to work on, namely support for Vancouver MP Libby Davies’ private member’s Bill C-304, which would ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing for Canadians through establishment of a National Housing Strategy. Homelessness and lack of housing security hurt us all as Canadians. Safe and adequate housing is linked to better health, community stability, and reduced crime, whereas lack of affordable housing exacerbates poverty, isolation and ill-health, and denies people the stability they need to be able to contribute to society. Further, according to recent studies, homelessness costs Canadian taxpayers an estimated $6 billion per year for emergency shelters, social services, criminal justice and other costs