B.C. municipalities call on province to legislate housing as a human right
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Nine city councils in B.C.'s Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island are calling on the province to legislate housing as a human right in order to address housing affordability and insecurity across British Columbia.
The call comes as housing prices remain high, and the economy remains volatile amid tariffs and uncertain global market conditions.
Motions have been passed by city councils in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby, Port Moody, Langley, Victoria, Saanich, Nanaimo and Langford, according to the B.C. Poverty Reduction Coalition.
"We've had dozens, if not hundreds of people across different communities writing letters ... to their council members, expressing why housing as a human right would impact their lives," said Sacia Burton with the coalition.
"Whether they're a tenant with pets, they're looking for affordable or accessible housing, [or] they've been renovicted."
In 2019, the federal government recognized housing as a right when it released the National Housing Strategy, which declared housing "essential to the inherent dignity and well-being of the person."
It also stated that "affordable housing contributes to achieving beneficial social, economic, health and environmental outcomes."
"We have things that we treat as a human right in British Columbia and in Canada — things like access to water, access to clean air, we treat these as necessities and we should also be treating shelter in the same way," Burton said.
According to B.C. Housing's 2023 report on homeless counts in 27 communities across the province, more than 11,000 British Columbians were experiencing homelessness that year.
The report is the most recent available with provincewide data on homeless counts.
Coalition provincial director Rowan Burdge said legislating the right to housing would mean there'd be a legal framework for protection and accountability at the provincial level to ensure housing isn't just a conversation, but an action.
"We cannot see the end of poverty in B.C. without changing the way we legislate our basic necessities," he said. "Adequate, appropriate housing must be treated as a right if we want to build a just and equitable society."
A 2019 Healthy Housing report from B.C.'s Ministry of Health and the B.C. Healthy Communities Society says housing is both a basic need and a human right.
The report adds that quality, accessible and affordable housing contributes to an increased sense of safety and improved quality of life — impacting individuals and communities alike.
Minister open to working with cities
In an emailed statement to CBC News, the Ministry of Housing said it's focused on opening up shelter spaces and closing homeless encampments.
"We all want to build a good life here, in a strong community we love where no one is left behind," Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said.
He said he's open to talking to the nine municipalities about their needs.
"I've said all along that solving the housing crisis will take all levels of government to come together in addition to working with outside partners, and I'm confident that we can find ways to continue to make progress on housing for everyone in B.C."
The B.C. Poverty Reduction Coalition said it will bring these ideas to the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in September, with the goal of getting more communities on board.
B.C. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender said she's long advocated for housing to be recognized as a human right.
"Fulfilling the right to housing is not only a legal requirement under international law; it is also the only viable path forward to resolving the housing crisis in our province," Govender said in a media release.
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