Report calls on province to build 10,000 social housing units

A new report is calling on the Manitoba government to build 10,000 social housing units over the next decade to meet the demand for low-income renters.

Research from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) says the province and other governments need to take action and not leave it to the private sector.

“It’s time for Manitoba to stop relying on the private market to produce low rent housing,” Kirsten Bernas of Right to Housing Coalition told CTV News.

The CCPA report recommends exploring several different avenues to address the demand like building social housing on nine downtown surface parking lots already owned by the province.

Other options include buying and converting empty office buildings, hotels and motels into apartments, and creating a tax credit for owners who sell rental properties to non-profits and housing providers.

“Public investment is not an expense. It is an investment in the public state,” CCPA’s Lynne Fernandez said.

Manitoba’s housing minister says the NDP government is committed to building social and affordable housing, and new measures for housing are in the upcoming April 2 budget.

“The report pivots to a lot of levers, and in this upcoming budget, we are leaning heavily into a lot of those levers,” Manitoba Housing Minister Bernadette Smith said.

The report also says housing people will reduce policing and healthcare costs.

According to the CCPA, nearly 6,000 low-income households are on the waitlist for social housing.