Vancouver, BC (Feb. 13, 2020) – Media are advised that Thom Armstrong, CEO of the Co-operative Housing Federation of BC (CHF BC), and Jill Atkey, CEO of BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA) will be available for interviews on the 2020 Provincial Budget on Tuesday, February 18.

Both Atkey and Armstrong will be in the budget lockup, and can speak afterwards to reporters on funding and other measures to address the housing affordability crisis that are contained in the 2020 Provincial Budget. This week’s throne speech indicated that affordable housing is a priority for this government. The community housing sector will be looking closely at the 2020 Budget to ensure that it reflects that priority.

“Solving the housing crisis takes time, and the need has never been greater than it is now,” said Thom Armstrong, CEO of CHF BC. “The community housing sector is taking up the challenge – building in over 60 rural and urban communities throughout the province – and looks forward to the next round of funding in Spring 2020.”

“With investments from the province, the community housing sector is building new homes like never before,” said Jill Atkey, CEO of BCNPHA. “And yet, the rents continue to escalate out of the reach of local income earners. We are calling on the provincial government to ensure that its investments match the need for affordable housing in communities throughout BC. At a minimum, we are looking for new investments to keep pace with rising construction costs. An additional investment of $190 million will be required to meet the targets outlined in 2018.”

Background:

• The commitments in Budget 2018 provided for $1.91 billion in affordable rental housing investments through to 2020-2021 for a range of affordable housing supply measures. This became the Building BC program, which includes the Community Housing Fund, Indigenous Housing Fund, Women’s Transition Fund and the Supportive Housing Fund.
• Budget 2019 provided an additional $77 million to 2022 to keep up with increasing operating costs, a Homelessness Action Plan, and subsidies to deepen affordability in previously announced projects from 2015/16.

For more information, or to arrange a media interview, please contact:

Dean Pogas
Communications Director
604.363.6590

dean@housingcentral.ca

About CHF BC

CHF BC is a co‐operative association made up of member housing co‐ops and related organizations in BC. The association represents 264 co‐op communities (comprising more than 14,500 households) across the province.

About BCNPHA

Formed 26 years ago, BCNPHA is the industry association for the social housing sector in BC. It represents, educates and provides service to more than 700 non‐profit housing providers that operate more than 65,000 units of long- and short‐term affordable housing across the province.