Opinion: Housing is a human right; Alberta must act like it

Housing is an essential need, like food and water. Canada recognized this basic fact in 2019, enshrining housing as a human right in the National Housing Strategy Act.

So, why are so many Albertans laying awake at night wondering how they will afford their rent or mortgage?

Communities across Canada recognize Nov. 22, as National Housing Day. This year it is especially urgent that we work together to address the growing housing crisis in our communities. And it’s something almost everyone — regardless of their political stripes — can get behind. In a recent poll from Nanos Research, seven in 10 Canadians agree that urgent action is needed to address access to adequate, accessible and affordable housing.

This ongoing crisis has been deepening for decades, and has been accelerated by the pandemic. In Canada, wages have stagnated for over 40 years and we have suffered with decades of cuts to public services — including public affordable housing. Canadians living with disabilities have seen their income support shrink year over year. In major Albertan cities, the minimum wage is far below the living wage where someone can afford adequate housing.

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