Madam Speaker, I have a petition from Vancouver Islanders. They highlight that indigenous and affordable housing providers, including M’akola Housing Society in British Columbia, are facing the expiration of long-standing federal operating agreements. The expiration of these agreements threatens the affordability of 528 indigenous homes across British Columbia, affecting approximately 1,775 people, including families, elders and persons with disabilities, including 42 homes in Port Alberni. Without continued federal support, these households could face rents that double or triple, putting residents at risk of housing insecurity and displacement.
Provinces and territories have been calling on the federal government to renew bilateral agreements under the national housing strategy, provide long-term funding certainty and preserve existing indigenous social and affordable housing, as it is essential to addressing Canada's housing crisis and advancing reconciliation.
Petitioners are calling on the government to commit to renewing and adequately funding national housing strategy bilateral agreements before existing agreements expire to ensure that indigenous housing providers and their tenants are protected from unaffordable rent increases resulting from the expiration of federal operating agreements. Lastly, they call on the government to work with indigenous housing providers, provinces and territories to establish a long-term funding framework that preserves existing affordable indigenous housing and provides housing security for current and future tenants.
