Study looks at data to see where the B.C. government has increased social housing
A new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has found that over the past five years British Columbia has seen an increase of about 1,500 units of new supportive housing for the homeless and housing for frail seniors. But the province has also seen a loss of 2,820 independent social housing units.
Taken together, the government’s own data indicate an overall net increase of only 280 actual social housing units over the past five years, a finding the group calls “sobering and concerning.” In response, the B.C. Liberal government’s housing minister said, “Our housing strategy is working.” He provided a range of statistics to show what has occurred.
We speak with Lorraine Copas, executive director of the Social Planning and Research Council of B.C., who is one of the study’s co-authors.
