Housing affordability is a major challenge facing Canadian communities of all sizes.  In order to be truly sustainable, cities and towns must be affordable and inclusive so that people of all ages, abilities, income levels, and backgrounds can live, work, and contribute to the life of the community.

Through our work with grantees and research partners, we see firsthand how a lack of affordable housing is impacting sustainability and resilience: communities lose the vibrancy associated with a mix of incomes; residents are pushed further away from jobs and community centres, leading to longer commutes; and low-income and vulnerable people are at an increased risk of homelessness.

We are encouraged to see the Federal government taking leadership on housing and seeking input from residents, planners, NGOs and non-profit organizations.

This week, REFBC shared comments and recommendations for the Federal government’s National Housing Strategy. REFBC’s submission included feedback from grantees and project partners, as well as insights gleaned from our recent research on the built environment.

Links:

REFBC Submission: National Housing Strategy

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The Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC) is a philanthropic organization that helps advance sustainable land use through research, education, policy and law reform. Over the years, we’ve given more than $75 million in funding to help support resilient, healthy, communities and natural environments. Within our Built Environment Sustainability program area, housing is one of our key areas of focus.