North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney has tabled private member’s bill C-207 to amend the Canadian Bill of Rights to include the right to appropriate and affordable housing for all Canadians.
According to a media release, in her introductory remarks in the House of Commons on December 7, Blaney stated the bill would “ensure that the right to housing is firmly recognized as law. It would redefine the federal framework for housing legislation and would set a requirement for the minister of justice to ensure every regulation change is consistent with the right.”
Blaney previously introduced the same bill in 2016 but it was defeated by Liberal and Conservative MPs. Since that time, housing affordability has gone from bad to worse in many communities across Canada, in particular, on the west coast, according to Blaney.
In much of Blaney’s riding, the price of an average home has doubled, while rental vacancy rates are near one per cent, and homeless populations grow, the release stated
“The Liberals have agreed in their national housing strategy that housing is a basic human right, but we’re not seeing any action or accountability in our communities where it matters,” stated Blaney. “Putting it in the bill of rights sets a requirement and allows laws to be challenged in court if they are failing to meet that requirement.”
