Port Clements and Masset receive funding for Housing Needs Reports

Port Clements and Masset received $30,000 in funding from the province to better assist with housing needs.

A new funding program, with the goal of assisting in the development of Housing Needs Reports to explore housing issues in B.C., was put in place, with its first round of grant assistance announced on Monday.

Port Clements received a total of $15,000 and Masset received $14,955.

The $5 million program is administered by the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM).

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“Effective housing policy needs a high level of collaboration and co-operation between orders of government. This new provincial funding will improve data collection and consistency across communities and support evidence-based policy, as called for in UBCM’s housing report,” Arjun Singh, president, UBCM, said.

The reports must assess key housing needs such as the need for affordable housing,housing for seniors, people with special needs and people at risk of homelessness.

The Province has made most of the data required by local governments, such as demographics and household income levels, available online at no cost.

The reports, once complete, will be publicly available online and presented to the local government council or board to better understand local housing needs.

Along with the two Haida Gwaii villages, 28 other applications, were approved throughout B.C. The next intake for funding is open until Nov. 29, 2019.

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